St. Francis Borgia, S.J.
The reading from Nehemiah today presents a rich contrast: as the priests are reading the law to the people gathered in Jerusalem, the people are weeping, yet the priests urge them to be glad and rejoice. The reading ends with recounting the great feast that followed the reading of the law. While the people are feasting and rejoicing, they are not forgetting the demands of the law but rather understanding its inner nature more fully. No matter what God asks of us, it springs from His infinite love and care for His creatures. If we wish to understand His will, rejoicing in it is a good place to start.
“Then all the people went to eat and drink,
to distribute portions, and to celebrate with great joy,
for they understood the words that had been expounded to them.”