Readings for the Day:
Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10:  The exiles have returned and rebuilt Jerusalem.  Now Ezra, the priest, reads the law of Moses to them in the public square.  When they hear it, they weep for their sins and for the long years in exile, but Ezra reminds them that ‘the joy of the Lord is your strength.’
I Corinthians 12:12-31:  The apostle and pastor Paul uses the metaphor of the human body to describe how intimately connected we are in the church.  For this struggling congregation in Corinth, Paul delivers a vital message of unity that is a mark of the church today.
Luke 4:14-21:  Near the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, he visits his hometown of Nazareth.  In the words of Isaiah, he states and claims his identity, purpose, and mission.

 ‘From Sunday & Seasons, copyright 2024 Augsburg Fortress’
Questions To Ponder:
1— What does it mean to you that the joy of the Lord is your strength? (Nehemiah 8:10) 
2—How could a greater emphasis on love than skills be lived our in your context? (I Corinthians 12:12-31)
3—What could you do, today, to propel some movement toward action, change, and justice? (Luke 4:14-21)
4—How do these texts speak to you today?

Prayer:  Blessed Lord God, you have caused the holy scriptures to be written for the nourishment of your people.  Grant that we may hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that, comforted by your promises, we may embrace and forever hold fast to the hope of eternal life.  Amen.