Have you ever felt far away from God? Perhaps you can relate to the Lost Sheep who wandered away from the Good Shepherd or the Prodigal Son who exiled himself and then returned to the Father (see Luke 15). Maybe you have found your way back to Him through a friend or by encountering the Lord in a new way. Call to mind this feeling of “exile” or feeling far away from God as you consider the readings for this Sunday.
Nehemiah 8:2-10 takes place after the Israelite people who were exiled in Babylon have returned and rebuilt Jerusalem. They have been far away from their homeland, the practice of their faith, and from God Himself. Most of them don’t even know Hebrew! Instead, they spoke Aramaic and Ezra had to translate and interpret the Scriptures for them. When the people were gathered together after so many years and heard the Torah–the Law of Moses (the first five books of the Old Testament)–they were mourning the loss of God’s Word: “…all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law” (Nehemiah 8:9). They understood in that moment the deep spiritual wound of their exile.
Then Nehemiah assured them that re-discovering the Word of God was not to be a day of sadness, but instead a source of joy and strength: “Today is holy to the Lord your God. Do not lament, do not weep!…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 is your strength!” (Nehemiah 8:9-10). Through His holy Word, God the Father brought His scattered people back into their covenantal relationship of love.
If you, like me, have ever felt far away from God, you can probably relate to this feeling of sadness. Underneath the sadness there could be fear, loneliness, or a sense of weakness at being separated from God. But in this scripture we have the reassurance that God’s love will bring us back to rejoice in Him. He will restore us to the joy of our salvation in Him (see Psalm 51:14). And this rejoicing in Him is meant to be the source of our spiritual strength!
The next time you are at Holy Mass, consider how praising God helps you build up your spiritual strength. Especially pay attention when we sing the Alleluia, which is the chief expression of our joy and faith. “Alleluia” is an Easter greeting and expresses our belief in the Resurrection of Christ, the true source of our joy and spiritual strength.
Jesus, you are my strength and my song! You have brought me out of exile when I was far from You. My joy springs from the truth that you have saved me. I will praise exalt Your Holy Name forever. Amen, Alleluia! (see Exodus 15:2).