THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - YEAR C - Gospel (Luke 1:1–4;4:14–21) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor.” (Lk 4:18)

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

Ezra the priest 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.

Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform

that had been made for the occasion.

He 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.

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.

Ezra read plainly from the book of the law of God,

interpreting it so that all could understand what was read.

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.

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!"

SECOND READING - 1 Corinthians 12:12-30

Brothers and sisters:

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.

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.

Now the body is not a single part, but many.

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.

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 eye cannot say to the hand, "I do not need you, "

nor again the head to the feet, "I do not need you."

Indeed, 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,

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,

so that there may be no division in the body,

but that the parts may have the same concern for one another.

If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it;

if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.

Now you are Christ's body, and individually parts of it.

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.

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

Do all work mighty deeds? Do all have gifts of healing?

Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21

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,

I too have decided,

after investigating everything accurately anew,

to write it down in an orderly sequence for you,

most excellent Theophilus,

so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings

you have received.

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.

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 and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.

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.

He said to them,

"Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."

THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - YEAR C - Gospel (Luke 1:1–4;4:14–21)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

The Word of God today, God the Father calls on all humanity to believe in the words of the prophets and the ancient prophecies. As in the book of Jeremiah, the Word of God calls on all humanity: to glorify and praise a great and powerful God, a God who has loved humanity immensely. The prophet also announced God's work to all humanity and was fulfilled in the life of Jesus Christ, the all-powerful God who because of love–came down to earth as a human to accompany and be with humanity at all times, in all places, and until the end of the world.

The Word of God is a Word full of power and is eternal, which can never be lost. Therefore, all the prophecies of the prophets about Jesus Christ were fulfilled in His own life. He is the One that must come to the world, to free people from the captivity of Satan, from slavery to sin.

The Word of God was not only redeemed in the life of Jesus Christ during the time of Redemption, but it continues to be fulfilled in life today. Even though Jesus Christ has returned to Heaven, He still accompanies and remains with mankind until the end of the world. His grace is constantly being poured out upon man. His Word continues to watch over and guide the flock, at all times, and in all places. Hence, all the Words He teaches must be put into practice so that Satan must be defeated, must retreat and so that people can have eternal life in Heaven with God the Father, and all the angels and the saints.

The Word of God today has been implemented in the present life and will continue to be satisfied in the future, under the work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ calls all mankind to abandon the path of sin and turn to God the Father, to find the destination of one's life, which is the Kingdom of Heaven. Eliminate evil deeds, believe in the life of Jesus the Savior. He is the Truth and His teachings still resonate today as the truth. The Word will also exist forever, and will never be lost. Thus, God calls on all mankind in the world today to abandon the path of sin, believe in the Eternal Word of God, the Word in the Bible and the Present Word of God taught in daily life to carry out the things that God the Father teaches. Do not listen to Satan anymore, do not follow Satan's temptations and desires anymore! Eliminate evil deeds to live a holy, loving, gentle, simple life, following the example of Jesus Christ. God sacrificed Himself to become a human to save all mankind. He sacrificed everything for the love of all people and all creatures.

Let us follow His example, sacrifice and do everything that God the Father wants, which is obedience and fear of God. And let us praise God and glorify Him in all places and at all times. As in the beginning, the oracles of God were passed down to men from generation to generation.

In the present life, under the working of the Holy Spirit, God the Father continues to invite us to listen to the teachings of God the Father and put the Word into practice. Have absolute faith in the Words of Jesus Christ in the Bible and the Present Word of God today, the Word that teaches us very specifically, the Word that makes Satan run away and also the Word that gives us the strength to overcome all forces: the world, the devil and the flesh.

Thanks be to God. Amen.