Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, C
Nehemiah 8:1-4a, 5-6, 8-10
Ps. 19
I Corinthians 12:12-30
Luke 1: 1-4; 4: 14-21
The readings today talk about God’s word and its fulfillment. The First Reading, from the book of Nehemiah, describes the public reading of the Torah to the returned exiles, and their reaction to the reading. The Responsorial Psalm is praise of God’s Torah, with the refrain being (unusually) taken from the Gospel of St. John: “Your words, Lord, are spirit and life.” The Gospel patches together two portions of Luke: the introduction to the Gospel, and then the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. Jesus enters the synagogue of his hometown of Nazareth, and reads the prophecy of Isaiah which begins, “The spirit of the Lord is upon me…” The passage concludes by saying, “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
The Second Reading continues our exploration of I Corinthians. Paul uses the image of the ‘body of Christ’ to describe the church. Continuing from his thought (heard last week) of “different gifts, one Spirit,” he reminds us that “the body is one and has many members.” All of the members exercise these gifts for the greater good of the Body as a whole, under the headship of Christ, her Lord.
This hymn is based on today’s Scriptures:
Returning from their exile drear,
God's People gathered in the land
And, urged by Ezra's preaching, turned
From foreign ways to God's command.
Like Ezra, Jesus spoke God's word
In midst of people gathered round,
Proclaiming God's redeeming love
Which frees, and lets the lost be found.
Each Christian, formed by God's rich word
Is of one Body vital part;
And called by Christ to exercise
Their gifts with talent and with art.
Rejoicing, let Christ's Body seek
To live our common calling out
That, baptized in the Spirit's grace
We God's good news will daily shout.
LM
No suggested tune
Introit: Dominus secus mare Galilaeae (Mt 4:18,19; Ps. 19:1)
(matches the Gospel in Year B)
The Lord, walking by the Sea of Galilee,
saw two brothers, Peter and Andrew, and he called out to them:
“Follow after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands.
Offertory: Dextera Domini (Ps. 118:16-17)
The Lord’s right hand has shown strength,
The Lord’s right hand has exalted me.
I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.
Communion: Venite post me (Mt 4:19-20) MYM#2
(matches the Gospel in Year B)
“Follow after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Whereupon they, leaving their nets and their boat, followed the Lord.