Raise Up Your Hands

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

~~~ Nehemiah 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10 ~~~ Psalm 19 ~~~ 1 Corinthians 12:12-30 ~~~ Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21~~~

 

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

 

This Sunday is the only time we hear a reading from the prophet Nehemiah

in our three year cycle of readings.

This chapter gives us much information of what it was like

when the priest was before the community.

The presider was standing higher than the people

so that he could be seen by as many as possible.

 

As the scroll was unrolled...

...all the people rose.
Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God,
and all the people, their hands raised high, answered,
“Amen, amen!”

The reading from the scroll lasted from daybreak until midday;

can you imagine people today staying in church for the length of time.

 

 "Today is holy to the LORD your God..."

One of the blessings passed down to us in the scripture writings

is confirmation of what we believe.

 

Today Luke tells Theophilus...

 

'...I too have decided,
after investigating everything accurately anew,
to write it down in an orderly sequence for you,
most excellent Theophilus,
so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings
you have received.'

Luke was validating what they all believed.

He was a scholar, educated, trusted.

There have always been those who understood the value

of recording down that which they have witnessed.

They were chronicling history as it was happening

right before their very eyes.

 

Way before Ancestry dot com people kept records.

Luke assures Theophilus that he has accurately written things down

so that he too could value the teachings even more.

 

Therefore when Luke recounts Jesus' reading from the scroll

we too can believe that Jesus was in the power of the Spirit.

 

It is through this same power that we too are in the Spirit.

We too have been given the Spirit.

 

Paul writes of the many parts of the same body...

we are all given to drink of the same Spirit.

  

 

The same Spirit that descended upon Jesus  

 he in turn sent to us.
This Spirit unites as one...as part of the Body of Christ.
Though many we are one and we are all valued as a part of this body.
There is no part that is more or less important than any other part.

It is through the Spirit that we are united into this one Body.
Today is holy to the LORD your God.
 

 We too contribute to the holiness of this day
for we are One Body.

Let us live believing that we are a vital part of the
Body of Christ.
We are all One Body in Christ.
Raise your hands high up in praise.