Daily Readings - Sun Jan 23 2022
Nehemiah
2And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.3And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.4And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.5And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:6And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.8So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.9And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.10Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
1 Corinthians
12For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.13For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.14For the body is not one member, but many.27Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
Luke
1Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,2Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;3It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,4That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.
14And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.15And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.16And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.17And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,18The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,19To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.20And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.21And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
Sermon
Today’s readings invite us to reflect on the profound connection between God’s presence in our lives and our shared life as a community. In the first reading from Nehemiah, we see Ezra gathering the people to read the law, a moment of renewal and recommitment after the exile. The people’s tears of repentance turn to joy as they recognize the sacredness of the day. This scene reminds us that encountering God’s word has the power to transform us, individually and collectively, and that our faith is not a solitary journey but a shared experience.
In the second reading, St. Paul uses the metaphor of the body to describe the Church, emphasizing that each of us, with our unique gifts and roles, is part of the one body of Christ. Just as every part of the body is essential, so too is every member of the Church. This teaching challenges us to value diversity and to recognize that our unity is rooted in our shared life in Christ. It also calls us to humility and mutual support, recognizing that no one is insignificant in the eyes of God.
In the Gospel, Luke shows Jesus returning to Nazareth, where he reads from Isaiah and declares that the prophecy is fulfilled in him. This moment is a powerful reminder of Jesus’ mission to bring good news to the poor, freedom to the captives, and sight to the blind. It also invites us to see ourselves as part of this mission, called to continue his work of healing and liberation in the world.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How am I contributing to the life of the community? How am I using my gifts to serve others? And how am I allowing God’s word to transform me? May we, like the people in Nehemiah’s time, find joy in God’s presence, and may we, like the body of Christ, work together to build a world where all people can experience the freedom and healing that Jesus brings.