Third Sunday of Ordinary Time - January 26, 2025 (Year C)

Following last week's post on the readings, I found myself weirdly excited in Mass this past weekend with anticipation of what was to come.  I felt like I was well prepared for some exam that was to come.  Now this week, I contrast that feeling with the first reading where, according to the context provided next to my set of readings, the people of Nehemiah and Ezra's time were hearing the Word proclaimed for the first time following their return and they wept for joy at this experience.  Their actions are echoed in the Psalm's response that God's Words are spirit and life, expressing the tangible and intangible strength He has.  At the culmination of the First Reading, Ezra's proclamation to enjoy life, share with others, and celebrate the holiness of the day, is a good reminder to celebrate the important and sacred events in life.

While I know that I won't do any justice to St. Paul in delving into the theological insights he provides in the Second Reading, I can relate the message of a body as a whole being greater than its parts to my everyday life.  Any group of people (family, friends, work, teams, social groups) would benefit from study of this passage, but it hit home for me, literally, as I was reminded of the duties my wife and I split to divide and conquer.  Together, we make our household a full body (or as close to it as we can get), and we could not do alone what we achieve together.

In the Gospel this week, Jesus is in a synagogue in Nazareth, reads a passage from Isaiah, and, in my understanding, relates that passage to Himself.  Now that the wonderous nature Jesus was revealed last week during the Wedding Feast at Cana, Jesus is proclaiming His Divine Intentions as he stands in that synagogue.  There, in that sacred place, Jesus tells those there that He is fulfilling the promise to bring "liberty to captives", "sight to the blind", and "to let the oppressed go".  But His message is directed as much to us as it was to those present that day in Nazareth, as Jesus is to be our Savior, saving us, the captives, the bling, and the oppressed, through His actions and bring us into His Love with God.

 

Disclaimer: This will be at the bottom of all reflections, but I’m not intending to put out any sort of professional critique, attempt at a homily, or investigation into the historicity of the readings, but will “let the Spirit move me” as some say, to share what has spoken to me in my reading and reflection on the set of Readings for each week. 

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