2025-01-26 Ordinary 3rd Sunday, Fr. Anthony Chang

2025-01-26 Ordinary 3rd Sunday
【Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.】
(1st Reading: 2 Esdras 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!"
(2nd Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 27)
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.
You are Christ's body, and individually parts of it.
(Gospel: 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."
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3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time (2025-01-26)
Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.
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.
Jesus Christ - God and man -Messiah
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Happy Lunar Year of 2025！
A Year of Gratitude and Hope Wisdom and Development Endeavoring for Peace,
Love & Joy
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