"These prophetic words come true..."

                            "There are many members and one body."

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Nehemiah 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10

Ezra brought the law before the assembly,

Both men, women and all the children who could understand what was being read.

It was the first day of the seventh month. So he read it before the plaza in front of the Water Gate from dawn till noon,

before the men, women and those children who could understand. All the people were eager to hear the book of the law.

 

Ezra, the teacher of the law, stood on a wooden platform built for that occasion; and to his right were

Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and to his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah,

Hashum, Hasbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.

 

Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was in a higher place; and when he opened it,

all the people stood. Ezra praised the Lord the great God; and all the people lifted up their hands and answered,

"Amen! Amen!" And they bowed their heads to the ground.

 

They read from the book of the law of God,

clarifying and interpreting the meaning, so that everyone might understand what they were hearing.

Then Ezra, the teacher of the law, said to the people, "This day is dedicated to the Lord, your God,

so do not be sad or weep." He said this because all wept when they heard the reading of the law.

 

Then he said to them, "Go and eat rich foods, drink sweet wine and share with him who has nothing prepared.

This day is dedicated to the Lord, so do not be sad. The joy of the Lord is our strength."

 

Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 15 Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

 

＊＊＊ 2nd Reading ＊＊＊

1 Corinthians 12:12-30 (or 12:12-14, 27)

As the body is one, having many members, and all the members, while being many, form one body,

so it is with Christ. All of us, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free, have been baptized in one Spirit,

to form one body, and all of us have been given, to drink from the one Spirit.

 

The body has not just one member, but many. If the foot should say,

"I do not belong to the body for I am not a hand," it would be wrong: it is part of the body!

Even though the ear says, "I do not belong to the body for I am not an eye,"

it is part of the body. If all the body were eye, how would we hear? And if all the body were ear, how would we smell?

 

God has arranged all the members, placing each part of the body as he pleased.

If all were the same part where would the body be? But there are many members and one body.

The eye cannot tell the hand, "I do not need you," nor the head tell the feet, "I do not need you."

 

Still more, the parts of our body that we most need are those that seem to be the weakest;

the parts that we consider lower are treated with much care,

and we cover them with more modesty because they are less presentable, whereas the others do not need such attention.

God, himself, arranged the body in this way, giving more honor to those parts that need it,

so that the body may not be divided, but, rather, each member may care for the others.

When one suffers, all of them suffer, and when one receives honor, all rejoice together.

 

Now, you are the body of Christ, and each of you, individually, is a member of it.

So God has appointed us in the Church. First apostles, second prophets, third teachers.

Then come miracles, then the gift of healing, material help, administration in the Church and the gift of tongues.

Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers?

Can all perform miracles, or cure the sick, or speak in tongues, or explain what was said in tongues?

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21

Several people have set themselves to relate the events that have taken place among us,

as they were told by the first witnesses, who later became ministers of the word.

After I, myself, had carefully gone over the whole story from the beginning,

it seemed right for me to give you, Theophilus, an orderly account,

so that your Excellency may know the truth of all you have been taught.

 

Jesus acted with the power of the Spirit; and on his return to Galilee,

the news about him spread throughout all that territory.

He began teaching in the synagogues of the Jews and everyone praised him.

 

When Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up,

he entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, as he usually did. He stood up to read,

and they handed him the book of the prophet Isaiah.

Jesus then unrolled the scroll and found the place where it is written:

 

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. He has anointed me, to bring good news to the poor;

to proclaim liberty to captives; and new sight to the blind; to free the oppressed; and to announce the Lord's year of mercy."

Jesus then rolled up the scroll, gave it to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.

Then he said to them, "Today, these prophetic words come true, even as you listen."

 

Gospel Reflection ：

 

 

Read: The people listen to God's word with respect and devotion.

That Holy Word teaches us that we are united as the Church in one Body, with different tasks,

all coordinated by Christ the Head, who was sent to bring Good News to the poor and liberty to captives.

 

Reflect: We are united as the Body of Christ, each with our own vocation,

but called to work together in praise of God and in the service of our neighbour.

As Christ is anointed by the Spirit to bring liberty, consolation and mercy,

so are we anointed by that same Spirit, and share in his same mission.

 

Pray: "Today, these prophetic words come true, even as you listen." Pray the words of Isaiah read by Jesus.

Reflect on how this prophecy came to fulfilment in Christ and how you participate in Christ's mission of mercy "today".

What is God calling you to do to bring that Good News to those who need to hear it?