Daily Readings - Sun Jan 23 2022
Nehemiah
2So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand.3He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.4Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.5Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up.6Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, "Amen! Amen!" Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.8They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.9Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, "This day is sacred to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep." For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.10Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."
1 Corinthians
12The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.13For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.14Now the body is not made up of one part but of many.27Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
Luke
1Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,2just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.3Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,4so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
14Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.15He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.16He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read.17The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:18"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,19to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."20Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him,21and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
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.