Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Book of Nehemiah

Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, which consisted of men, women, and those children old enough to understand.
Standing at one end of the open place that was before the Water Gate, he read out of the book from daybreak till midday, in the presence of the men, the women, and those children old enough to understand; and all the people listened attentively to the book of the law.
Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that had been made for the occasion.
Ezra opened the scroll so that all the people might see it (for he was standing higher up than any of the people); and, as he opened it, all the people rose.
Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people, their hands raised high, answered, "Amen, amen!" Then they bowed down and prostrated themselves before the LORD, their faces to the ground.
Ezra read plainly from the book of the law of God, interpreting it so that all could understand what was read.
Then (Nehemiah, that is, His Excellency, and) Ezra the priest-scribe (and the Levites who were instructing the people) said to all the people: "Today is holy to the LORD your God. Do not be sad, and do not weep"-for all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law.
He said further: "Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks, and allot portions to those who had nothing prepared; for today is holy to our LORD. Do not be saddened this day, for rejoicing in the LORD must be your strength!"

Psalms

The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart
find favor before you,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

First Letter to the Corinthians

Brothers and sisters: As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.
Now the body is not a single part, but many.
If a foot should say, "Because I am not a hand I do not belong to the body," it does not for this reason belong any less to the body.
Or if an ear should say, "Because I am not an eye I do not belong to the body," it does not for this reason belong any less to the body.
If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?
But as it is, God placed the parts, each one of them, in the body as he intended.
If they were all one part, where would the body be?
But as it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, "I do not need you," nor again the head to the feet, "I do not need you."
Indeed, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are all the more necessary,
and those parts of the body that we consider less honorable we surround with greater honor, and our less presentable parts are treated with greater propriety,
whereas our more presentable parts do not need this. But God has so constructed the body as to give greater honor to a part that is without it,
so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same concern for one another.
If (one) part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.
Now you are Christ's body, and individually parts of it.
Some people God has designated in the church to be, first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then, mighty deeds; then, gifts of healing, assistance, administration, and varieties of tongues.
Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work mighty deeds?
Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke

Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events that have been fulfilled among us,
just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and ministers of the word have handed them down to us,
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.
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news of him spread throughout the whole region.
He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.
He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read
and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord."
Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.
He said to them, "Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."

Bl. José Gabriel Brochero(Priest (1840-1914))

BLESSED JOSE GABRIEL BROCHERO Priest (1840 - 1914) José Gabriel del Rosario Brochero was born on the outskirts of Santa Rosa de Rio Primero, Cordoba, on March 16, 1840. He was the fourth of ten children living from their father’s rural work. He grew up in a profoundly Christian family. Two of his sisters were nuns of the Garden of Olives. Having entered the College Seminary of Our Lady of Loreto on March 5, 1856, he was ordained a priest on November 4, 1866. He assisted in the pastoral tasks of the Cathedral of Cordoba and carried out his priestly ministry during the cholera epidemic that devastated the city. Being the prefect of studies of the Major Seminary, he received the title of master in philosophy from the University of Cordoba. At the end of 1869, he took on the extensive parish of Saint Albert: 4,336 square kilometers (1,675 square miles) with just over 10,000 inhabitants, without roads or schools, and cut off by the Great Highlands of more than 2,000 meters (6,500 feet) of altitude. The moral state and material indigence of its inhabitants was lamentable. However, Brochero’s apostolic heart was not discouraged. From that moment on, he dedicated his whole life not only to bring the Gospel to the inhabitants, but to educate and promote them. A year after arriving, he began to take men and women to Cordoba for the Spiritual Exercises. It took three days on the back of a mule to cover the 200 kilometers (125 miles) in caravans that often exceeded 500 people. More than once they were surprised by strong snow storms. On returning, after nine days in silence, prayer and penance, his faithful began to change their lives, following the Gospel and working for the economic development of the region. In 1875, with the help of his faithful, he began building the Houses of Exercises of the then Villa del Transito (a locality that today is named after him). It was inaugurated in 1877 with groups that exceeded 700 people, a total of more than 40,000 going through it during his parish ministry. As a complement, he built the House for women religious, the Girls’ School and the residence for priests. With his faithful, he built more than 200 kilometers of roads and several churches. He founded villages and was concerned about the education of all. He requested and obtained from the authorities courier posts, post offices and telegraphic posts. He planned the rail network that would go through the Valley of Traslasierra: joining Villa Dolores and Soto to bring the beloved highlanders out of the poverty in which they found themselves, “abandoned by all but not by God,” as he said. He preached the Gospel using the language of his faithful, thus making it comprehensible. He celebrated the sacraments and always carried what was necessary for the Mass on the back of his mule. No sick person was left without the sacraments, as neither the rain nor the cold stopped him. “Woe if the devil is going to rob a soul from me,” he said. He gave himself totally to all, especially the poor and the estranged, whom he sought diligently to bring them close to God. A few days after his death, the Catholic newspaper of Cordoba wrote: “It is known that Father Brochero contracted the sickness that took him to his tomb, because he visited at length and embraced an abandoned leper of the area.” Because of his illness, he gave up the parish, living a few years with his sisters in his native village. However, responding to the request of his former faithful, he returned to his House of Villa del Transito, dying leprous and blind on January 26, 1914. José Gabriel Brochero was beatified in September 2013 by Pope Francis.

Sts. Timothy and Titus(Bishops - Memorial)

SAINTS TIMOTHY AND TITUS Bishops and Disciples of St. Paul (1st century) St. Timothy was a convert of St. Paul. He was born in Lystra, Asia Minor, to a Jewess mother and a pagan father. Though Timothy had read the Scriptures since childhood, he had not been circumcised as a Jew. When St. Paul arrived in Lystra, the youthful Timothy, with his mother and grandmother, eagerly embraced the faith. Seven years later, when the Apostle again visited the country, the boy had grown into a man. His good heart, austerities and zeal had won the esteem of all around him. Holy men were prophesying about him. St. Paul at once saw his fitness for the work of an evangelist. Timothy was ordained, and from that time became the constant coworker of the Apostle. In company with St. Paul, he visited the cities of Asia Minor and Greece: at one time hastening in front as a trusted messenger, at another lingering behind to confirm a church in the faith. Finally, he was consecrated the first bishop of Ephesus; and here he received the two epistles which bear his name. The first was written from Macedonia and the second from Rome. While imprisoned, St. Paul gave vent to his desire to see his "dearly beloved son," if possible, once more before his death. St. Timothy, not many years after, won his martyr's crown in Ephesus. As a child, Timothy delighted in reading sacred books; and to his last hour, he would remember the parting words of his spiritual father, "Attende lectioni - Apply thyself to reading."************************ St. Titus was a convert from paganism. He was St. Paul's disciple, companion on the journey to the Council of Jerusalem, and fellow-laborer in many apostolic missions. From the Second Epistle that St. Paul sent with Titus to the Corinthians, we gain an insight into the latter's character and the affection of his master. Titus had been commissioned to carry out a twofold office that needed much firmness, discretion and charity. He was to be the bearer of a severe rebuke to the Corinthians who were scandalizing and wavering; and at the same time he was to put their charity to a further test by calling upon them for abundant alms for the church in Jerusalem. St. Paul, meanwhile, was anxiously awaiting the result. At Troas, St. Paul writes, "I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus, my brother." St. Paul set sail to Macedonia. Here at last, Titus brought the good news. His success had been complete. He reported the sorrow, the zeal and the generosity of the Christians, till the Apostle could not contain his joy, and sent back to them his faithful messenger with the letter of comfort from which we have quoted. Titus was finally left as a bishop in Crete, and here he, in turn, received the epistle which bears his name, and here at last he died in peace. The mission of Titus to Corinth shows us how well the disciple caught the spirit of his master. He knew how to be firm and to inspire respect. The Corinthians, we are told, "received him with fear and trembling." He was patient and painstaking. St. Paul "gave thanks to God, Who had put such carefulness for them in the heart of Titus." And these gifts were enhanced by a quickness to detect and call out all that was good in others, and by a joyousness which overflowed upon the spirit of St. Paul himself, who "abundantly rejoiced in the joy of Titus."

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Category: Mass by Year / Catholic Missal 2025 / Catholic Missal of january 2025