First Lesson
Nehemiah 8: 1-3, 5-6,
8-10
all the people gathered together into the square before the
Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses,
which theLord had
given to Israel. Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the
assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This
was on the first day of the seventh month. He read from it facing the
square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence
of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all
the people were attentive to the book of the law. And Ezra opened the book
in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when
he opened it, all the people stood up. Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people
answered, ‘Amen, Amen’, lifting up their hands. Then
they bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. So they read
from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense,
so that the people understood the reading.
And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest
and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, ‘This
day is holy to the Lord your
God; do not mourn or weep.’ For all the people wept when they heard the words
of the law. Then he said to them, ‘Go your way, eat the fat and drink
sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for
this day is holy to our Lord;
and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’
Psalm 19
God’s
Glory in Creation and the Law
The heavens are telling the glory of God;
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours forth speech,
and night to night declares knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words;
their voice is not heard;
yet their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun,
which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy,
and like a strong man runs its course with joy.
Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them;
and nothing is hidden from its heat.
The law of the Lord is
perfect,
reviving the soul;
the decrees of the Lord are
sure,
making wise the simple;
the precepts of the Lord are
right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is
clear,
enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the Lord is
pure,
enduring for ever;
the ordinances of the Lord are
true
and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey,
and drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
But who can detect their errors?
Clear me from hidden faults.
Keep back your servant also from the insolent;
do not let them have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable to you,
O Lord, my
rock and my redeemer.
Second Lesson
1 Corinthians 12: 12-31a
One Body with Many
Members
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all
the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For
in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or
free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of
many. If the foot were to say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong
to the body’, that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if
the ear were to say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body’,
that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were
an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would
the sense of smell be? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body,
each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would
the body be? As it is, there are many members, yet one body. The eye
cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’, nor again the head to the
feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ On the contrary, the members of the body
that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those members of the body
that we think less honourable we clothe with greater honour, and our less respectable members are treated with
greater respect; whereas our more respectable members do not need this.
But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honour
to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body,
but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member
suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honoured,
all rejoice together with it.
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of
it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets,
third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of
assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. Are all
apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all
possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But
strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.
Gospel
Luke 4: 14-21
The Beginning of the
Galilean Ministry
Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned
to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. He
began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.
The Rejection of Jesus at
Nazareth
When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he
went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his
custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was
given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’
And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The
eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to
them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’