In 2019, Pope Francis designated this Third Sunday in Ordinary Time to be “devoted to the celebration, study, and dissemination of the word of God.”
Motu Proprio, Aperuit illis.
Whether it is the Word in Scripture proclaimed this Third Sunday of Ordinary Time, the Word and prayer offered by the Church this Saturday, January 22, the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, or this entire week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Whew!), we do need to be reminded. As someone who always says goodbye when we are leaving with the admonition “Drive carefully!” or the spouse or parent who always concludes a goodbye or a goodnight with “I love you,” it can seem like stating the obvious. But is it? Some measure of our declarations of love might be highlighted or even reserved for occasions pumped up by the greeting card or flower industry. But those are meant to be punctuation marks in statements made throughout the year. If they are truly the only times in which we express what is in our minds and hearts, well ...
Similarly, the living Presence within us of the Holy Word of God draws strength within us by those moments which punctuate our lives and the rhythms of living. How does the Word of God, received preeminently in the Scriptures, resonate in our lives day by day? What effort do we make to hear God’s speaking to us regularly so we are able to recognize that Voice addressing us in the gathered assembly to celebrate Mass? And how attentively do we hear that Word at Mass so that we will recognize that same Voice at home, at work, at school, at play, in moments of noise and moments of soothing quiet?
From today’s passage from Nehemiah: “Rejoicing in the Lord must be your strength!”
From today’s passage from Luke: “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”