THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, January 26, 2025

Reminder: My group tour of Ireland, June 19-27, 2025: Contact: info@caragrouptravel.com or call 617 639 0273 or aineoconnor@caragrouptravel.com.\

Here in Ireland, where I currently live, we have experienced at least three months of personal and national anxiety. This has arisen from a nation-wide flu; a general election for a new prime minister and government; harsh weather conditions that included severe rains/storms/freezing; a shortage of housing for many segments of the population; issues caused by immigration; and coping with increasing costs of living.

No country/nation, including the wonderful country where I lived/ministered for many years, the USA, is without its challenges and struggles. What is your and my source of hope to which we can turn, not only in times of struggle but in facing the concerns of daily living. I turn to the sacred reading of this Sunday Mass.

In Nehemiah (Neh. 8:2-10), who was the leader of the people, we learn of his intention to inspire the people recover from the destruction of Jerusalem ( five centuries before the coming of Christ). He assembled the people and asked Ezra, the chief priest, to read the book of the law and to teach them God’s expectations from them. The people, rather than viewing the law as a burden, saw it as God’s gift to them. With knowledge of the law, God showed them that he loved them, and he showed them how they were to relate to him. Do you and I see the laws of God and of his church as a gift to us.

In today’s gospel (Luke 1: 1-4), we hear the Word of God from Christ himself in the synagogue of Nazareth. He tells them, that he is the Messiah described by Isaiah: ‘the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, he has anointed me, he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives, recovery of sight to the blind, and release to prisoners, and to announce a year of favor from the Lord, and that he is the fulfillment of Of Isaiah’s prophesy and the fulfillment of the law taught by the priest, Ezra, five hundred years earlier.

Paul who founded the church in Corinth (the faith community), teaches them that they are always to live and act as a united and loving community. He compares them as a community to the human body, made up of many parts, each part being important, different gifts given to every member for the good of the body under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

In summary, you and I can turn the law of God as taught by Ezra, the priest, we can turn to Christ’s claim that he is the Messiah as described by Isaiah, and that the Church is the body of Christ, in which we are all members. Not only that, we have all the gifts needed to become the Church, and to assist the Church become the body of Christ.

APPLICATIONS

  1. Are you finding hope and peace from church members, church leaders, and church teachings?

  2. Which of the following help you grow spiritually: Mass; sacraments, personal prayer; scripture readings?

  3. Do you see yourself as an active member of the Church, the Body of Christ?

  4. What is one way you can be a better member of the church community?

     

[Submitted by Father David O’Connor, email: doconnor.natchez@gmail.com}

Father David O'Connor 10 Morgantown Road Natchez, MS 39120-2788