Ordinary Time

January 18, 2022

Scripture Reading:
Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10

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.’ —Nehemiah 8-10

One of my favorite songs is Lessons to be Learned* I heard on a Barbra Streisand album.

They say there’s a universal plan
For every woman, for every man
I do believe there’s a higher power
But in our darkest hour it’s hard to understand
So we start to question, start to doubt
We lose faith in what life’s all about

Why did the right road take the wrong turn
Why did our heart break, why’d we get burned
Just like the seasons there are reasons for the path we take
There are no mistakes
Just lessons to be learned
We too might weep if we come together and realized the way we live our lives differs from God’s design for living an abundant life. Perhaps that is because our definition of an abundant life relates to financial well-being whereas scriptures describe spiritual health. We tend to get the world’s measures of success mixed in with God’s.

I do believe that spiritual health supports and sustains the idea that all people have the right to have enough—enough food, clothing, and shelter; enough quality affordable and accessible health care, and public education that enables each person to become the one they were created to be. We all have responsibility to make sure that enough is reality.

Prayer: Lord, as you return us from the exile of COVID help us to examine our lives and see the changes we need to be in sync with you. Amen.

*First verse and refrain from Lessons to be Learned by Gazeley / Malamet / Rich © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Spirit Music Group, Write By The Sea Songs

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.