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Third Sunday – Year C – Ordinary Time
Readings: Neh 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10; I Cor 12:12-30; Lk 1:1-4, 4:14-21.
1/ First Reading: NAB Nehemiah 8:2 On the first day of the seventh month, therefore, Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, which consisted of men, women, and those children old enough to understand. 3 Standing at one end of the open place that was before the Water Gate, he read out of the book from daybreak till midday, in the presence of the men, the women, and those children old enough to understand; and all the people listened attentively to the book of the law. 4 Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that had been made for the occasion; 5 Ezra opened the scroll so that all the people might see it (for he was standing higher up than any of the people); and, as he opened it, all the people rose. 6 Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people, their hands raised high, answered, “Amen, amen!” Then they bowed down and prostrated themselves before the LORD, their faces to the ground. 8 Ezra read plainly from the book of the law of God, interpreting it so that all could understand what was read. 9 Then (Nehemiah, that is, His Excellency, and) Ezra the priest-scribe (and the Levites who were instructing the people) said to all the people: “Today is holy to the LORD your God. Do not be sad, and do not weep”-for all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law. 10 He said further: “Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks, and allot portions to those who had nothing prepared; for today is holy to our LORD. Do not be saddened this day, for rejoicing in the LORD must be your strength!”
2/ Second Reading: NAB 1 Corinthians 12:12 As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit. 14 Now the body is not a single part, but many. 15 If a foot should say, “Because I am not a hand I do not belong to the body,” it does not for this reason belong any less to the body. 16 Or if an ear should say, “Because I am not an eye I do not belong to the body,” it does not for this reason belong any less to the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But as it is, God placed the parts, each one of them, in the body as he intended. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 But as it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I do not need you.” 22 Indeed, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are all the more necessary, 23 and those parts of the body that we consider less honorable we surround with greater honor, and our less presentable parts are treated with greater propriety, 24 whereas our more presentable parts do not need this. But God has so constructed the body as to give greater honor to a part that is without it, 25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same concern for one another. 26 If (one) part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy. 27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it. 28 Some people God has designated in the church to be, first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then, mighty deeds; then, gifts of healing, assistance, administration, and varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work mighty deeds? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
3/ Gospel: NAB Luke 1:1 Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and ministers of the word have handed them down to us, 3 I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received. NAB Luke 4:14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news of him spread throughout the whole region. 15 He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all. 16 He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read 17 and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, 19 and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” 20 Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. 21 He said to them, “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
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Written by: Fr. Anthony Tien M. Dinh, O.P.
I. THEME: Scripture helps people to solve all problems of their life.
God doesn’t let people struggle in darkness of the world, He gives people a mirror which is the Scripture, His word. People can look in it to recognize their past sins, to interpret what are happening and to prepare for the future. The important thing is that people must spend time to learn to understand Scripture; if not, people shall be confused in darkness of their life and not know how to solve their difficult problems.
Today readings highlight the practical examples of the application of Scripture in life. In the first reading, many of the Israelites didn’t understand why God let their temple being destroyed, their nation was lost, and they were on painful exile everywhere. In the dedication of their new temple, the priest Ezra let them hear the Book of the law and the Levites took turn to explain its meanings for people. The Israelites then understood that all terrible things happened for them because they forsook the law. They wept because they sinned against God who always loves and cares for them. In the second reading, St. Paul gave a concrete example about Christ’s mystical body in which all are members. People can apply this image in life to protect unity, to practice charity and to build up Christ’s mystical body to perfection. In the Gospel, Jesus used Isaiah’s prophecy to explain for his audience to know that he is the fulfillment of his prophecy.
II. ANALYSIS:
1/ Reading I: All the assembly wept when they heard the law.
1.1/ Scripture helps people to recognize what are happened in their life: The historical background of today passage is the dedication of the Second Temple which happened about 515 B.C. The reason why the Israelites had this day is because God changed the hearts of two Persian kings, Cyrus and Darius, so that these two kings signed a decree to liberate the Israelites. They let the Israelites go back to their country and even gave financial help so that they can rebuild the temple. The priest Ezra “brought the law before the assembly, which consisted of men, women, and those children old enough to understand.Standing at one end of the open place that was before the Water Gate, he read out of the book from daybreak till midday, in the presence of the men, the women, and those children old enough to understand; and all the people listened attentively to the book of the law.”
The event of reading and explaining the Book of the law which happened today is new. Before 538 B.C., the Israelites only know how to listen to their leaders and prophets, sent by God, to pray and to offer sacrifices in the temple. After this event, the Jews began to build synagogues so that they can gather to pray and to learn Scripture on the Sabbath. Hearing Scripture helped people to recognize their sins against God. The reason why people wept is because they recognized that they weren’t loyal to God.
1.2/ Despising Scripture is the cause of all sufferings: In today passage, people must hear reading and explaining of Scripture from daybreak to midday, not only ten or fifteen minutes in the weekend mass as many people think. The passage said, “Ezra read plainly from the book of the law of God, interpreting it so that all could understand what was read.”
What all people must accept is that Scripture isn’t easy to understand, and there exists many false interpretations. To understand, people need to have time to prepare for and to ask the Spirit to enlighten their mind before listening to God’s word. Besides, people need to have the experts as the Levites to explain for them about the meanings and the ways to apply them in their life.
Scripture isn’t a kind of book which people can read one or two times; but as a mirror so that people should constantly refer to see how much they practiced God’s word. Scripture helps people to recognize their sins against God and others. Scripture is the source of wisdom so people can base on to find out concrete solutions for all difficult problems. When people practice what Scripture teaches, they can avoid sufferings. Moreover, Scripture also helps people to recognize God’s love so that they can be loyal to Him until the end.
2/ Reading II: God puts each part into one body as He wills.
Today passage wants to emphasize one’s relationship with God and with others in God’s plan of salvation. An understanding of Pauline theology of the body shall help us to eliminate individualism, selfish life and discrimination; at the same time, to build up our family, community and the Church in peace and happiness.
2.1/ The duty of each part in one body: St. Paul listed out the basic knowledge about the human body as follows:
– A human body has many different parts.
– All parts belong to one body, no matter they want or not. Paul gave some examples, “If a foot should say, “Because I am not a hand I do not belong to the body,” it does not for this reason belong any less to the body.Or if an ear should say, “Because I am not an eye I do not belong to the body,” it does not for this reason belong any less to the body.”
– Each part is necessary for the body to act according to God’s will: Paul continued, “If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God placed the parts, each one of them, in the body as he intended.If they were all one part, where would the body be?But as it is, there are many parts, yet one body.”
– “The parts of the body that seem to be weaker are all the more necessary,and those parts of the body that we consider less honorable we surround with greater honor, and our less presentable parts are treated with greater propriety.”
– All members contribute on the wholesome of the body: “If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.”
2.2/ Each of us is a member of one mystical body which is the Church and Christ as the head: St. Paul applied his analysis to Christ’s mystical body by saying, “So also Christ.”
– “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.”
– The Holy Spirit gives each one a different gift: for some, gifts of healing; for others, gifts of healing, assistance, administration, and varieties of tongues.
– Different gifts lead to different vocations in the Church: “Some people God has designated in the church to be, first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then, mighty deeds.”
– Do not expect others to be like ourselves because that is against God’s will and shall not lead to good results. St. Paul asked, “Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work mighty deeds?Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?”
3/ Gospel: “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
3.1/ St. Luke’s purpose for writing his Gospel: He wrote his Gospel for a special audience and his purpose was clearly declared: “Most excellent Theophilus,so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received.”
According to Jewish tradition, the witness of two or three persons is regarded as true. St. Luke mentioned the witness of the second generation, those who heard from the first generation, “Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events that have been fulfilled among us,just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and ministers of the word have handed them down to us.” And Luke added on his witness: “I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you.”
What we need to pay attention in today first passage is its literary structure: It contains only one sentence; there is no point in this passage. Later, some scholars divided it into four sentences.
3.2/ Jesus read and explained Scripture.
(1) Jesus knew the importance of reading and explaining Scripture: St. Luke reported, “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news of him spread throughout the whole region.He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.” As said above, from the time of Ezra, the Jews have a habit of building up synagogues in local areas for people to pray and to learn Scripture on the Sabbath. In today passage, Jesus “came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.”
(2) The Scripture is fulfilled: He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:”The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free,and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.”Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.This passage is from Isaiah, 61:1-2a, talked about the prophet’s mission which he was received from God, to announce for the Israelites to know that they shall be liberated from their exile to return to their country.
Jesus began by saying to them: “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” Jesus wanted to say that not only the passage from Isaiah is correct for the prophet and his contemporary, but also is proper for Jesus and his contemporary. The Holy Spirit anointed Christ when he was baptized by John Baptist in Jordan River. Jesus was sent to preach the Gospel of salvation not only for the Jews but also for all people. Christ liberates people, not from the slavery for the foreign countries, but from the slavery of sins and evil spirits.
God’s words continue to be fulfilled each day until the Last Day. As Christ’s disciples, we also received the mission of preaching the Gospel to liberate people from influences of falsity and sins. When we practice what Scripture teaches, we find joy and receive good results. In opposition, when we don’t do what Scripture teaches, we have no peace and must get all sufferings for our sins.
III. APPLICATION IN LIFE:
– God’s word is the light for our step, the mirror for our reflection and the source of wisdom for us to recognize the truth and to solve all problems of our life.
– We need to wisely arrange our time so that we have time to learn and to practice God’s word to avoid unnecessary sufferings in our life. If we refuse to learn Scripture, we shall be confused in darkness and must get unwanted results.
– God’s word helps us, not only to recognize dangers of our enemies, but also to build up Christ’s mystical body, to bring peace and happiness for ourselves and others.
– God’s word continues to fulfill each day in our life, family and society.