Daily Readings - Sun Jan 26 2025
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
The readings today invite us to reflect on the power of God’s Word and its transformative impact on our lives and communities. In the first reading from Nehemiah, we see the people of Israel gathered to hear Ezra read from the law. This moment is deeply emotional for them; they weep as they listen to the words of the law, recognizing how far they have strayed from God’s ways. Yet Ezra and Nehemiah remind them that this day is holy, a time not for mourning but for celebration and joy. The people are called to share in the richness of God’s love and to extend that love to others, even to those who have not prepared for themselves. This reading reminds us that God’s Word has the power to convict us, but it also brings us hope and strength.
In the second reading from 1 Corinthians, Paul emphasizes the unity and diversity of the body of Christ. Just as a human body is made up of many parts, each with its own function, so too is the Church. We are all part of Christ’s body, and each of us has a unique role to play in building up the community. This reading challenges us to recognize our interconnectedness and to value the contributions of every member, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. It is through this unity in diversity that we truly become the body of Christ, living out the love and mission of Jesus in the world.
In the Gospel, Luke shows us Jesus fulfilling his mission as the Messiah. He reads from the prophet Isaiah, announcing that the Spirit of the Lord is upon him, anointing him to bring good news to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. This passage is a declaration of Jesus’ identity and purpose. It also reminds us that we, as his followers, are called to continue his mission. Just as the Spirit was upon Jesus, the same Spirit dwells within us, empowering us to live out the values of the kingdom of God.
Today’s readings call us to reflect on our own relationship with God’s Word and our place within the body of Christ. Like the people in Nehemiah, we are invited to listen to God’s Word with open hearts, allowing it to transform us and bring us joy. Like Paul’s vision of the Church, we are reminded that we are not alone but are part of a larger community, each with a unique role to play. And like Jesus, we are called to live out the mission of love and compassion in the world. May we embrace these truths and allow them to shape our lives, so that we may truly be the body of Christ, living in unity, joy, and service to others.