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..." (Luke 4:16b-18a)
In the first reading from Nehemiah, we hear how Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform before the assembly of people and read from the book of the law of Moses. In the gospel reading from Luke, Jesus reads from a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. These readings remind us of how important it is for us to read and listen to the Scriptures. When we gather on the Lord's Day or for any liturgy, for that matter, we participate in the Liturgy of the Word, which is just as important as the Eucharistic Liturgy with which it is combined on the Lord's Day. Through the Liturgy of the Word, our souls are fed with the Word of God, we hear God's Word and are challenged to apply it to our every day lives.
Faith Chat Question: What is your favorite Bible story? What does that story teach you about God?
Faith Response: Begin a new habit of reading the Bible every day (if you don't already do so, that is.) Place your Bible in a prominent place, on your household prayer table, a coffee table, or your kitchen table. Each day, make time to read and reflect on a passage from the Scriptures. You may access the daily readings on the USCCB website (http://www.usccb.org/nab/) or check your parish's bulletin for a listing of the daily readings.
Prayer: Word of God, fill our hearts and minds so that we may live your truth in our lives. Amen.
