A Weekly Bible Study

January 27, 2013
3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Nehemiah 8:2-6, 8-10

Tucked away in the writings of the Hebrew Scriptures is a book seldom-read in Catholic liturgies, Nehemiah.  It is a writing that today invites a closer look.

The reformer, Nehemiah, and the priest, Ezra, set out to reestablish temple worship lost during the Babylonian captivity and subsequent fall of the Jerusalem temple.  Throughout today’s reading we recognize connections between the worship described in Nehemiah and our Catholic liturgical celebration, particularly the Liturgy of the Word. 

With ritual detail, Ezra opens the scroll and addresses a congregation of families gathered to hear the proclamation of the word. His posture and command of the crowd bespeak the importance of the message. The solemn response of the congregation acknowledges a deep reverence for the word of God that leads the group to weeping. The word has gripped their hearts, as it often does our own hearts. Ezra next invites them to partake in a banquet that reminds us of our own eucharistic banquet.

Some four hundred years later, Jesus will also open the sacred scroll upon which is written words of encouragement.  He will solemnly read from the prophet Isaiah proclaiming his mission.  He will stand before a congregation, much like Ezra’s, much like our own.

Today we meet that sacred word in Scripture and in liturgy. We are the congregation of Ezra who proclaim with our lives, “Amen. Amen” as we listen to the word. We are the crowds sitting at the feet of Jesus, clinging to his every word. We are the Catholic communities of Hartford gathered each Sunday to embrace God’s word with reverence, respond with joy and celebrate together in the eucharistic banquet.

I read the Word of God and the Word of God reads me.

The author, Ms. Barbara Gawle, leads Bible studies at her parish, Incarnation Church of Wethersfield, CT. She is a CBS graduate and the 2012 recipient of the Biblical School's highest award, The Lawrence Boadt Memorial Medal.