Moved to Return

A Reflection on the First Reading for January 23, 2022:
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Nehemiah
8.2-4a, 5-6, 8-10

The priest Ezra brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the Law. The scribe Ezra stood on a wooden platform that had been made for the purpose.

And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

So the Levites 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 Ezra 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.”
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Fifty years after the Babylonian exile, God inspired the King of Persia to support the leaders Zerubbabel, Ezra and Nehemiah in returning Israelites back to Jerusalem. Each leader attempted to rebuild what was lost, whether literally (rebuilding the wall of the temple) or figuratively (rebuilding the people’s faith and right standing with God).
 


This reading describes the latter, and it’s so dynamic. I am struck by the following:
1.  the physicality in what they are doing;
2.  the emphasis on interpretation and understanding; and
3.  the togetherness of their ministry and worship.
 


Nehemiah and Ezra position themselves at the Water Gate, creating space and form for reading the Law. The people bow, stand, lift their hands, turn their faces to the ground – movement that prepares them for what they will hear. 
 


The Israelites had not heard the Law proclaimed in exile, so the leaders explain the Law, which acts as a “palate cleanser” to reorient their tastes to God’s truth.
 


Thus prepared physically and mentally, the Israelites experience a spiritual awakening so profound that they weep at having fallen so far. Nehemiah identifies the holiness of this moment and encourages the people not to grieve but to rejoice in the Lord.
 


Physical. Mental. Spiritual. 
 


There is value in the rituals of our faith. They teach us how to turn back to the Lord, even when we feel uncertain about what to do. Movement engages the body, so that the mind and heart can follow. 
 


And, if there is value in our doing, there is value in doing it together. Getting ourselves “stuck” in our own “exile” is easy during isolation; pulling ourselves out is so hard! Like Ezra, Nehemiah and the Levites, we have a role to play in supporting each other on the journey.
 


COVID restrictions have caused us to miss the faith gatherings and Masses that engage our minds, bodies and senses through participation and sacraments. But the Church, in her wisdom, provides overarching principles that help us return to the Lord again and again in any circumstance. These existed before the pandemic, and they are relevant as we move through and past it.
 


Personal practices don’t have to be elaborate. They can be as simple as lifting our hands during prayer at home; being attentive to the comfort and feel of rosary beads during recitation; praying short aspirations during daily activities; checking in on a friend, family or church member; asking a trusted person to read scripture over us; creating holy art; taking a daily walk with the Lord … the options are endless. I have found exercising 10 minutes before I pray to be fruitful. Releasing physical tension helps me receive spiritually. Joining a group of women online for a faith study called Metanoia also has been a boon for my faith and connected me with others.
 


What small practice or action can you take, physically, mentally and in community, to help you return spiritually to the Lord?




Michelynne Gomez
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