Nehemiah 8.2-4a,5-6,8-10・Ps.19.8,9,10・ 1 Corinthians 12.12-30・ Luke 1.1-4,4.14-21
In many parishes all around the world we may observe that community prayer time, so to say, worshipping time has been decreasing. It must really be impressive if it is not true to some other parishes around the world. We are still thankful that even if community prayer time has been decreasing, we have at least an hour more or less participating in mass as a community. What a wonderful time we can still attend mass together. In our busy schedule however, we often prefer to shorten more mass time.
Since, in most cases, we only have a mass time as our chance to pray together as a community, we try to grab this precious opportunity (to be able to attend mass with other members of the community), to deepen our understanding of Jesus` sacrifice. The key words here for our reflection today can be salvation, liberation, healing, and glad tidings to the poor. Through Jesus` ultimate sacrifice, salvation, liberation, healing, and glad tidings to the poor are able to surface and so well introduced in every day`s human living. This is in fact the theme of the third Sunday in ordinary time which has been designated as “Sunday of the Word of God.”
We are still, however challenged by our first reading today to increase our time to worship and pray together, celebrate together, spend time sharing our joys in the Lord.
Today`s Gospel reading emphasizes Jesus` mission to liberate and heal. Listening intently to His Words, worshipping together, and sharing our joys in the Lord tirelessly liberate us from many forms of captivity, and heal our brokenness.
Our second reading talks about us as Christ`s Body. Christ`s Body, just like human body consists of many parts, and each part is essential. In this case, we do not see diversity among us as a treat to harmonious relationship & wonderful community living. We see it (diversity) as a value promoting other values such as trust, mutual respect, and shared responsibilities. One may be different from us but because he/she is part of One Body, he/she is essential. It is our joy that because of diversity, we find many ways and we find it easier to participate in his saving mission: to liberate people from different forms of captivity, to heal people from many forms of sickness, to bring good tidings to the poor).
Last week we have tackled a bit about the giftedness of each one. We acknowledge that our giftedness, and all the beautiful things and graces around us/within us, come from God. With various gifts and charism we have within the Church and within the society, let us continue to proclaim the Word of God.