-Jan 21st, Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. The first reading is Neh 8.2-10 and the Gospel is Lk 1.1-4 & 4.14-21. I put a few observations line-by-line with regard to Nehemiah:
-Vs. 2: Ezra the scribe (sopher) to bring the book (sepher) of the law (torah) of Moses. Here the distinction between man and that which is written is barely made, and extends to torah. The context of is within that of listening to that which is written (sepher). Though not spelled out, the Hebrew words and text give a sense of immediacy between God, Moses and Ezra the sopher.
-Vs. 3: `the ears of the people were attentive to the sopher of the torah. The Hebrew text lacks `attentive` almost as though to show there`s no need to insert such a word. By that I mean ears = sopher/torah, like that unity I just noted.
-Vs. 5 has Ezra opening the sopher before everyone; not only that he was above them on a platform, not entirely unlike Moses upon Mt. Sinai. Interesting that the people stood as soon as Ezra opened the book; no other signal was required.
-Finally, vs. 8 mentions several attendants of Ezra help the people `understand the law` as they `read from the law of God clearly` [vs. 9]. The Hebrew for `reading` is qara`, more specifically, to call. Here it is used with the preposition b- prefaced to sepher, a kind of reading-in the sepher followed by the same preposition prefixed to torah, a reading in the torah. These attendants performed their task `clearly` or perash. This term derives from a verbal root meaning to separate or spread out and thus implies a concentrated bit of information requiring dilution, if you will.

-Today`s Gospel runs a pattern not unlike the one just described, for at the beginning of his account Luke wishes to state his purpose for writing. The chief difference is that Luke does it for an audience who will read his text whereas with Ezra, people listened to it. Here are a few brief notes:
-`Many have undertaken` or in Greek, have put their hands to: signifies not necessarily bad accounts but can intimate lack of inspiration by the Holy Spirit.
-`to compile a narrative:` anatasso or to arrange in a row. This approach differs (favorably) from the somewhat hit-and-miss `undertaken` just noted. The verb`s object is diegesis or `narrative,` a report verified by reliable witnesses.
-`to know the truth of which you have been informed.` Asphalia is `truth` or more accurately, that which is safe from falling. Again, keep in mind that such asphalia results more from reading the text than from hearing it as in Nehemiah.

-Last evening I went to some friends who held a birthday party for an 11 year old girl, very nice, with about a dozen of her friends present. The father, whom I met several times earlier, arrived well after the initial celebrations, an unwelcome guest due to his schizophrenic-alcoholic condition (nice, huh?). Anyway, he stayed in the background, left early, barely having made a dent upon his daughter at this joyful time. However, I watched carefully her face; she was aware of all that was going on in the background, and I could see these impressions piling upon each other one by one to set the stage for big problems later on.

-At the party I was introduced to the mother of one of the children; from former East Germany, who married and Icelander and has been living here 10 years now. She was just like those foreigners I described earlier: they married (an Icelander) but never adapted to the country. It`s a good lesson, one that makes me feel I`m here for the right reasons. Anyway, this lady made some interesting, humorous comparisons between East Germany and Iceland: insistence upon identification (Iceland`s `kennitala` or social security no.), lack of choices, especially food. In a small place such as Iceland you`re bound to run up against this. Though obvious, foreigners who`ve moved here never seem to bridge the gap between perception and reality. While she was talking, I paid special attention to that distinction between her marriage and the country from which her husband came; barely a trace of resolution between the two. I treasure these moments because they are invaluable lessons for me personally.