Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C 23rd January 2022
Lectionary Readings: Nehemiah 8 v1-10; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 12 v12-31a; Luke 4 v14-21.
New Life.
The Psalmist writes, “The Law of the Lord is perfect, it gives new life. His teachings last for ever and they give wisdom to ordinary people.” (Psalm 19 v7).
In the old testament, God’s Law = the Law of Moses, the word of God relayed to the people of Israel by the prophet Moses.
After their exile in Babylon, the Jews set about rebuilding the ruined city of Jerusalem. Ezra and Nehemiah, the prophet/leaders of Jews at this time, arranged for God’s word to be read aloud to the people from the partially rebuilt temple after a silence of over seventy years. Tears flowed as the scriptures were read by Ezra. Nehemiah told the people, “Don’t be sad! This is a special day for the Lord, and he will make you happy and strong.” (Nehemiah 8 v10).
Nehemiah recognised that God’s word was breathing new life into the people of Israel. Granting them the strength and courage to face an uncertain future.
Unfortunately, the leaders of succeeding generations came to believe that only strict observance of the ‘Law’ as interpreted by ‘the teachers of the Law of Moses’ was going to make the people acceptable to God and thereby ensure the well-being of the Jewish nation.
Jesus challenged this way of thinking and insisted that, yes, “the Law of the Lord is perfect” as the psalmist said, but it was to be used as a ‘framework’ to guide the thoughts and actions of God’s people. The ‘Law of Moses’ based on the ten commandments was to be a ‘moral compass’ for the people to use in their day to day encounters with other people. It was not intended to be a stumbling block or burden to God’s people.
Jesus explained to his followers how God’s love can be made a reality to others by the actions of those who understood the loving purposes of God that underpin the ‘Law of Moses’.
Luke tells us that Jesus breathed new life into the words of Isaiah as he addressed the people in Nazareth.
Jesus was given the book of Isaiah the prophet. He opened it and read, “The Lord’s Spirit has come to me, because he has chosen me to tell the good news to the poor. The Lord has sent me to announce freedom for prisoners, to give sight to the blind, to free everyone who suffers, and to say, ‘This is the year the Lord has chosen’” Jesus closed the book, then handed it back to the man in charge and sat down. Everyone in the meeting place looked straight at Jesus. Then Jesus said to them, “What you have just heard me read has come true today.” (Luke 4 v17-21).
Thanks be to God for sending us Jesus to help us with our thinking, and for the gift of the Holy Spirit that enables us to live life anew.
As the apostle Paul said, “God’s Spirit baptized each of us and made us a part of the body of Christ. Now we each drink from that same Spirit.” (1 Cor 12 v12b).
Bible quotations are taken from the Contemporary English Version.