From The Bishop

In the Gospel of the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time (Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21) Jesus reads from the prophet Isaiah and proclaims that He is the fulfillment of these words. He is the Good News who has come into the world to bring redemption. Jesus proclaims this truth in the synagogue in the midst of worship. This same worship is going on in the First Reading where the priest Ezra is speaking to the people. They are weeping as they hear God’s word. These are tears of joy because they have returned home after exile and can once again worship God in Jerusalem. Let us pray that during this Year of Mercy those who are living in spiritual exile will return to worship God in our parishes. Here they will come to know Jesus who is the Word and experience this “Good News”. They will worship Him and be strengthened by Him. They will be given new hope in the unity they experience from being a member of the Body of Christ (Second Reading 1Cor.12:12-30). During this Year of Mercy let us “proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour” and invite people to come home to Christ.