Pope Francis asked that the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time be used to focus on Sacred Scripture. The first reading can emphasize that. Do we read scripture at all? Do we discuss it with anyone? I knew a family who on Wednesdays would sit with their children and go over the scriptures for the coming Sunday. The children, after listening to the readings, would try to think of the theme the local pastor would have in his homily. Whoever came closest to what the pastor spoke about on the following Sunday would get a gold star for that week.
Now for my thoughts.
I was trying to picture the priest reading the book of the law before the assembly. Everyone was standing, no chairs. No bathrooms or port-a-potties. No concession stands for a snack or water cooler for a drink. Wow! And in most churches people have trouble listening for one hour!!! At the end, Nehemiah says, “Today is holy to the LORD your God.” Do we even try to keep Sunday holy or is it “Our” day? I know that not everyone is able to be the same, as Paul states, the body bas many parts. Yet do we even try to relate to others.
Luke, in the introduction to his Gospel, makes no pretense that he knew Jesus personally. Yet, he was moved for our sake to compile a narrative explaining who Jesus was, and why he was important to you and me. Jesus then gives a summary of his mission: to bring glad tidings to the poor; proclaim liberty to captives; recovery of sight to tbe blind; to let the oppressed go free. Do we know what our mission is? Have we ever articulated why we are here? What is our purpose for existing? Why do we do the things we do? Perhaps as we move forward this week, we can take a little bit of time to reflect and see if we can articulate and answer to the question, “Why am 1 here?”
Countenance of God 