Ezra 6:7-8, 12, 14-20 / Luke 8:19-21
As we listen to the 1st reading, it may occur to us that it was indeed strange that the Persian king, Darius, allowed the exiled Jews in Babylon to return to their homeland to rebuild the Temple.
It was indeed even more puzzling as to why king Darius would also support the Jews in rebuilding the Temple.
Actually it all began when king Cyrus conquered Babylon and he liberated the captives of the other nations and allowed them to return to their homeland if they wished.
King Darius was the third king after Cyrus and it was he who issued the decree that we heard about in the 1st reading.
But it had been 70 long years since the Jews had been exiled in Babylon and by which time, the nostalgia and longing for their homeland was fading and waning.
Yet just as God stirred the heart of king Darius to issue the decree, God also had to stir the hearts of His people to return to their homeland and to rebuild the Temple.
God had not forgotten nor abandoned His people, and He will stir the hearts of those whom He has chosen to do His will, people like king Darius and Ezra and the elders of the Jewish people.
In the gospel we are reminded that God has chosen us as His people and in Jesus we see how God's will is to be done.
Whenever God stirs our hearts, let us get up and get moving because there is a Church that is waiting to be completed.
We are the living stones of the Church. We are also called to help others be living stones of the Church.
That is what is meant by hearing the Word of God and putting it into practice.