Jan. 23th - 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

(Neh 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10; 1 Cor 12:12-30; Lk 1:1-4; 4:14-21)

Our first reading tells how Ezra read from the book of the Law to God's chosen people. He didn't need to promote his event. He didn't need to print fliers describing how great or important the talk was going to be. He didn't need to hire a band to play or twist any arms to get them to come. They were hungry for God's word – desperately hungry. They were probably crowding the platform where Ezra was standing and reading from the book. Then when they began hearing the Word, they were overcome with emotion and fell on their faces and wept. But Ezra tells them to rejoice instead. The Word is not for them a condemnation but a source of blessing and gladness.

The reading that Jesus does in today's Gospel is also about glad tidings delivered by Jesus himself. Instead of falling on their faces overcome with emotion, those in the synagogue just kept staring at Jesus, wondering what this man of celebrity might say. Jesus concludes his reading with the statement, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” Jesus thereby identifies himself as the one referred to by Isaiah, and his listeners are shocked. Could this be true? Could they believe that this very man was the Messiah, the promised one who fulfills all the Old Testament prophecies?

• How does the strength of one's faith depend upon hearing and understanding God's written word?
• The people who heard Ezra read from the book of the Lord responded with attentiveness and reverence, falling on their faces. How can we approach this deep sense of reverence for God's word today?
• Sometimes we see scripture passages taken out of context and used to justify all sorts of things. How can we know when such an interpretation is clear, accurate and applicable? Consider what Paul's letter in the second reading might say about how only some people have the gift of interpreting scripture.
• How does the text that Jesus reads indicate his actual mission on earth?