January 26, 2014

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

First the Lord degraded the land of Zebulun
and the land of Naphtali;
but in the end he has glorified the seaward road,
the land west of the Jordan,
the District of the Gentiles.

Anguish has taken wing, dispelled is darkness:
for there is no gloom where but now there was distress.
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom
a light has shone.
You have brought them abundant joy
and great rejoicing,
as they rejoice before you as at the harvest,
as people make merry when dividing spoils.
For the yoke that burdened them,
the pole on their shoulder,
and the rod of their taskmaster
you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14

R/ (1a) The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R/ The Lord is my light and my salvation.
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
R/ The Lord is my light and my salvation.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R/ The Lord is my light and my salvation.

reading 2 1 Cor 1:10-13, 17

I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that all of you agree in what you say,
and that there be no divisions among you,
but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose.
For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers and sisters,
by Chloe’s people, that there are rivalries among you.
I mean that each of you is saying,
“I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,”
or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.”
Is Christ divided?
Was Paul crucified for you?
Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel,
and not with the wisdom of human eloquence,
so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning.

Gospel Mt 4:12-23

When Jesus heard that John had been arrested,
he withdrew to Galilee.
He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea,
in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,
that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet
might be fulfilled:
Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles,
the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light,
on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death
light has arisen.
From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,
Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew,
casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.
He said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
At once they left their nets and followed him.
He walked along from there and saw two other brothers,
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.
He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father
and followed him.
He went around all of Galilee,
teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness among the people.

or mt 4:12-17

From: Isaiah 9:1-4 — RSVCE (8:23 - 9:3 — NAB)

The Prince of Peace

[1] But there will be no gloom for her that was in anguish. In the former time he
brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the
latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the nations.

[2] The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness
on them has light shined.
[3] Thou hast multiplied the nation,
thou hast increased its joy;
they rejoice before thee
as with joy at the harvest,
as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
[4] For the yoke of his burden,
and the staff for his shoulder,
the rod of his oppressor,
thou hast broken as on the day of Midian.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

9:1-7. At this point, though not yet very clearly, we begin to see the figure of King
Hezekiah, who, unlike his father Ahaz, was a pious man who put all his trust in
the Lord. After Galilee was laid waste by Tiglath-pileser III of Assyria, and its po-
pulation subsequently deported (cf. 8:21-22), Hezekiah of Judah would reconquer
that region, which would recover its splendour for a period. All this gave grounds
for hope again.

This oracle may have a connexion with the Immanuel prophecy (7:1-17), and the
child with messianic prerogatives that has been born (cf. 9:6-7) could be the child
that Isaiah prophesied about (cf. 7:14). For this reason, 9:1-7 is seen as the se-
cond oracle of the Immanuel cycle. This “child” that is born, the son given to us,
is a gift from God (9:6), because it is a sign that God is present among his peo-
ple. The Hebrew text attributes four qualities to the child which seem to embrace
all the typical features of Israel’s illustrious forebears — the wisdom of Solomon
(cf. 1 Kings 3: “Wonderful Counsellor”), the prowess of David (cf. 1 Sam 7: “Migh-
ty God”), the administrative skills of Moses (cf. Ex 18:13-26) as liberator, guide
and father of the people (cf. Deut 34:10-12), (”Everlasting Father”), and the virtues
of the early patriarchs, who made peace pacts (cf. Gen 21:22-34; 26:15-35; 23:
6), (”Prince of peace”). In the old Latin Vulgate, the translation gave six features
(”Admirabilis, Consiliarius, Deus, Fortis, Pater future saeculi, Princeps pacis”);
these have found their way into the liturgy. The New Vulgate has reverted to the
Hebrew text. Either way, what we have here are titles that Semite nations ap-
plied to the reigning monarch; but, taken together, they go far beyond what be-
fitted Hezekiah or any other king of Judah. Therefore, Christian tradition has in-
terpreted them as being appropriate only for Jesus. St Bernard, for example, ex-
plains the justification for these names as follows: “He is Wonderful in his birth,
Counsellor in his preaching, God in his works, Mighty in the Passion, Everlas-
ting Father in the resurrection, and Prince of Peace in eternal happiness” (”Ser-
mones de diversis”, 53, 1).

Because these names are applied to Jesus, the short-term conquest of Galilee
by Hezekiah is seen as being only an announcement of the definitive salvation
brought about by Christ. In the Gospels we find echoes of this oracle in a num-
ber of passages that refer to Jesus. When Luke narrates the Annunciation by
the angel to Mary (Lk 1:31-33) we hear that the son that she will conceive and
give birth to will receive “the throne of his father David and he will reign over the
house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end” (Lk 1:32b-33;
cf. Is 9:7). And in the account about the shepherds of Bethlehem, they are told
that “to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord
…” (Lk 2:11-12; cf. Is 9:6). St Matthew sees the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in
Galilee (Mt 4:12-17) as the fulfillment of this Isaian oracle (cf. Is 9:1): the lands
that in the prophet’s time were laid waste and saw ethnic cleansing and trans-
plantation were the first to receive the light of salvation from the Messiah.

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

From: 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17

An Appeal for Unity

[10] I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of
you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united
in the same mind and the same judgment. [11] For it has been reported to me
by Chloe’s people that there is quarrelling among you, my brethren. [12] What
I mean is that each of you says “I belong to Paul” or, “I belong to Apollos,” or
“I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” [13] Is Christ divided? Was Paul
crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? [17] For Christ did
not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom,
lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

10-17. St Paul takes the Corinthians to task for the strife in their community —
not, it seems, quarrels over matters of doctrine, but minor disagreements due to
preferences for certain teachers. Even so, the Apostle is very much against fac-
tions, and he starts his letter by stressing that unity is essential to the Church.

He makes four points, as it were — an appeal (v. 10); a description of the state
of affairs in Corinth (vv. 11-12); a doctrinal reflection: Christ cannot be divided (v.
13); and a summary of his (Paul’s) ministry (vv. 14-17).

His appeal is virtually a warning: “I appeal to you by the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ.” The Apostle only calls on the name of our Lord when he has very serious
counsel to offer (cf. 1 Thess 4:1; 2 Thess 3:6); he makes it clear that it is a very
grave matter to put the unity of the Church at risk. Each of these groups in Co-
rinth is appealing to whichever authority it prefers — without Paul, Apollos or Ce-
phas having any say in the matter. Christ cannot be divided and therefore neither
can the Church, Christ’s body (cf. 1 Cor 12:12-31).

Finally, St Paul points out their feeble grounds for basing divisions on personal
relationships: very few of them can claim to have been baptized by him, because
his concentration has been on evangelization.

This entire passage is a defense of Church unity. Throughout the centuries the
Church has confessed this truth of faith — from the Apostles’ Creed (”I believe in
the Holy Catholic Church”) right down to the “Creed of the People of God” of Paul
VI: “We believe that the Church which Christ founded and for which he prayed is
indefectibly one in faith and in worship, and one in the communion of a single
hierarchy” (no.21 ).

10. “That you all agree...in the same mind and the same judgment”: St Paul is
not calling for mere external unity or just living peaceably or being sure to come
together for certain liturgical ceremonies. He wants something that goes much
deeper than that: the concord that should reign among them should stem from
their being of one mind, from feeling the same way about things. In saying this
he obviously does not mean to restrict the freedom every Christian enjoys as far
as earthly affairs are concerned: it is the unity “of the Church” that Paul is dis-
cussing, and in that area there is no room for factions among Christians (cf. v.
11). Differences, diversity, which do not affect the unity of the Church are some-
thing lawful and positively good.

One basic dimension of Church unity is unity of faith. That is why the Fathers
and the Magisterium have borrowed from what St Paul says here, to show that
genuine progress in understanding the content of truths of faith must always
keep in line with earlier understanding of the same: “any meaning of the sacred
dogmas that has once been declared by holy Mother Church must always be re-
tained; and there must never be any deviation from that meaning on the specious
grounds of a more profound understanding. ‘Therefore, let there be growth [...]
and all possible progress in understanding, knowledge, and wisdom whether in
single individuals or in the whole body, in each man as well as in the entire
Church, according to the stage of their development but only within proper limits,
that is, in the same doctrine, in the same meaning, and in the same purport [”eo-
dem sensu eademque sententia”]’ (St Vincent of Lerins, “Commonitorium”, 28)’.
(Vatican I, “Dei Filius”, chap. 4).

11-12. St Paul now goes on to discuss the dissensions (v .10) which “Chloe’s
people” have told him about. We must presume that Chloe was a woman well
known in the church at Corinth; and obviously there is no question of secret de-
nunciations but of a well-intentioned effort to bring to Paul’s attention a problem
requiring solution. Chloe’s people might have been members of her family or ser-
vants of hers who had visited the Apostle in Ephesus (cf. 1 Cor 16:15-17).

Although St Paul does not go into much detail, we can see that a number of
groupings had grown up among the Corinthians. They each claimed to follow a
prominent Christian (clearly without any encouragement from their “heroes”),
and a certain rivalry had developed which could easily undermine the unity of
faith. The group who claimed Apollos — a Jewish convert from Alexandria (Egypt),
a man of eloquence, well versed in the Scriptures (cf. Acts 18:24-28) — would
have emerged after Apollos spent some time preaching in Corinth shortly after
Paul left there (cf. Acts 19:1).

“I belong to Cephas”: the Peter group may have consisted of people who knew
him to be the leader of the Apostles (cf. 3:21-23; 9:4-5; 15:5); St Peter may have
passed through Corinth at some point, but there is no evidence of a visit and it
is more likely that some of his disciples or converts had come to the city.

“I belong to Christ”: this can be interpreted as a reference either to a fourth group
very attached to certain preachers from Jerusalem, of a Judaizing tendency — and
therefore very attached to Jewish traditions and very disinclined to acknowledge
the newness of Christ’s message; or else to some Christians who were disgusted
at the petty quarrelling of the other groups and, therefore, would naturally claim to
belong to Christ and only to Christ. It is possible, however, that this is a personal
statement of St Paul’s, designed to show how foolish these groups are: You may
say that you belong to Paul, to Apollos or to Peter: but I belong to Christ.

What the Apostle says here should lead us to avoid narrow-mindedness: each of
us has his own job to do, where God put him, but he should also make his own
the sentiments and concerns of the universal Church.

13-16. Crispus was, or had been, the ruler of the synagogue at Corinth and had
become a Christian through Paul’s preaching (cf. Acts 18:8). Gaius was another
convert of Paul’s and the Apostle had stayed with him when he was in Corinth (cf.
Rom 16:2). Stephanas’ family had been the first to be converted in the province
of Achaia; and Stephanas himself was now with St Paul in Ephesus (cf. 1 Cor
16:15-17).

There is no excuse for divisions, the Apostle tells them: unity is not dependent
on which teacher you had or who baptized you; it is something based on Christ
— whom all the preachers preach; Christ was the one who was crucified for every-
one, and his is the name they were baptized in. And there is only one Christ;
therefore they all belong to him.

It is through Baptism, the door of the Christian life, that a Christian becomes part
of the one body of Christ; there the merits gained by Christ on the cross are ap-
plied to him, and the baptized person is configured to his dead and risen Lord:
“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were
baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death,
so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father we too might
walk in newness of life” (Rom 6:3-4). And the Second Vatican Council states that:
“by the sacrament of Baptism [...] man becomes truly incorporated into the cruci-
fied and glorified Christ and is reborn to a sharing of the divine life, as the Apostle
says: ‘for you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with
him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead’ (Col 2:12)”
(”Unitatis Redintegratio”, 22).

17. In the first part of this verse St Paul is giving the reasons for his actions as
described in the preceding verses. The second part he uses to broach a new sub-
ject — the huge difference between this world’s wisdom and the wisdom of God.

“Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the Gospel”: this is a reminder
that preaching is St Paul’s main task, as it is of the other Apostles (cf. Mk 3:14).
This does not imply a belittling of Baptism: in his mandate to the Apostles to go
out into the whole world (cf. Mt 28:19-20), our Lord charged them to baptize as
well as to preach, and we know that St Paul did administer Baptism. But Bap-
tism — the sacrament of faith — presupposes preaching: “faith comes from what
is heard” (Rom 10:17). St Paul concentrates on preaching, leaving it to others to
baptize and gather the fruit — a further sign of his detachment and upright inten-
tion.

In Christian catechesis, evangelization and the sacraments are interdependent.
Preaching can help people to receive the sacraments with better dispositions,
and it can make them more aware of what the sacraments are; and the graces
which the sacraments bring help them to understand the preaching they hear
and to be more docile to it. “Evangelization thus exercises its full capacity when
it achieves the most intimate relationship, or better still a permanent and unbro-
ken intercommunication, between the Word and the Sacraments. In a certain
sense it is a mistake to make a contrast between evangelization and sacramen-
talization, as is sometimes done. It is indeed true that a certain way of admini-
stering the Sacraments, without the solid support of catechesis regarding these
same Sacraments and a global catechesis, could end up by depriving them of
their effectiveness to a great extent. The role of evangelization is precisely to
educate people in the faith so as to lead each individual Christian to live the Sa-
craments as true Sacraments of faith — and not to receive them passively or
apathetically” (Paul VI, “Evangelii Nuntiandi”, 47).

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

From: Matthew 4:12-23

Preaching in Galilee. The First Disciples are Called

[12] Now when he (Jesus) heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into
Galilee; [13] and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea,
in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, [14] that what was spoken by the
prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

[15] “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, across the
Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—[16] the people who sat in darkness have seen
a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has
dawned.” [17] From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

[18] As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is
called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were
fishermen. [19] And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of
men.” [20] Immediately they left their nets and followed him. [21] And going on
from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his
brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called
them. [22] Immediately, they left the boat and their father, and followed him.

[23] And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching
the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among
the people.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

15-16. Here St Matthew quotes the prophecy of Isaiah 8:23- 9:1. The territory
referred to (Zebulun, Naphtali, the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan),
was invaded by the Assyrians in the period 734-721 B.C., especially during the
reign of Tilgathpilneser III. A portion of the Jewish population was deported and
sizeable numbers of foreigners were planted in the region to colonize it. For this
reason it is referred to in the Bible henceforward as the “Galilee of the Gentiles”.

The evangelist, inspired by God, sees Jesus’ coming to Galilee as the fulfillment
of Isaiah’s prophecy. This land, devastated and abused in Isaiah’s time, will be
the first to receive the light of Christ’s life and preaching. The messianic meaning
of the prophecy is, therefore, clear.

17. See the note on Mt 3:4. This verse indicates the outstanding importance of
the first step in Jesus’ public ministry, begun by proclaiming the imminence of
the Kingdom of God. Jesus’ words echo John the Baptist’s proclamation: the se-
cond part of this verse is the same, word for word, as Matthew 3:2. This under-
lines the role played by St John the Baptist as prophet and precursor of Jesus.
Both St John and our Lord demand repentance, penance, as a prerequisite to
receiving the Kingdom of God, now beginning. God’s rule over mankind is a main
theme in Christ’s Revelation, just as it was central to the whole Old Testament.
However, in the latter, the Kingdom of God had an element of theocracy about
it: God reigned over Israel in both spiritual and temporal affairs and it was through
him that Israel subjected other nations to her rule. Little by little, Jesus will unfold
the new-style Kingdom of God, now arrived at its fullness. He will show it to be a
Kingdom of love and holiness, thereby purifying it of the nationalistic misconcep-
tions of the people of his time.

The King invites everyone without exception to this Kingdom (cf. Mt 22:1-14). The
Banquet of the Kingdom is held on this earth and has certain entry requirements
which must be preached by the proponents of the Kingdom: “Therefore the eucha-
ristic celebration is the center of the assembly of the faithful over which the priest
presides. Hence priests teach the faithful to offer the divine Victim to God the Fa-
ther in the sacrifice of the Mass, and with the Victim to make an offering of their
whole lives. In the spirit of Christ the pastor, they instruct them to submit their
sins to the Church with a contrite heart in the sacrament of Penance, so that
they may be daily more and more converted to the Lord, remembering his words:
‘Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand”’ (Vatican II, “Presbyterorum Ordi-
nis”, 5).

18-22. These four disciples had already met our Lord (John 1:35-42), and their
brief meeting with Him seems to have had a powerful effect on their souls. In this
way Christ prepared their vocation, a fully effective vocation which moved them to
leave everything behind so as to follow him and be his disciples. Standing out
above their human defects (which the Gospels never conceal), we can see the
exemplary generosity and promptness of the Apostles in answering God’s call.

The thoughtful reader cannot fail to be struck by the delightful simplicity with
which the evangelists describe the calling of these men in the midst of their dai-
ly work.

“God draws us from the shadows of our ignorance, our groping through history,
and, no matter what our occupation in the world, he calls us in a loud voice, as
he once called Peter and Andrew” ([Blessed] J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By,”
45).

“This divine and human dialogue completely changed the lives of John and An-
drew, and Peter and James and so many others. It prepared their hearts to lis-
ten to the authoritative teaching which Jesus gave them beside the Sea of Ga-
lilee” (”ibid”., 108).

We should notice the words of Sacred Scripture used to describe the alacrity
with which the Apostles follow our Lord. Peter and Andrew “immediately” left
their nets and followed him. Similarly, James and John “immediately” left the
boats and their father and followed him. God passes by and calls us. If we do
not answer him “immediately”, he may continue on his way and we could lose
sight of him. When God passes by, he may do so rapidly; it would be sad if
we were to fall behind because we wanted to follow him while still carrying
many things that are only a dead weight and a nuisance.

23. “Synagogue”: this word comes from the Greek and designates the building
where the Jews assembled for religious ceremonies on the sabbath and other
feast days. Such ceremonies were non-sacrificial in character (sacrifices could
be performed only in the temple of Jerusalem). The synagogue was also the
place where the Jews received their religious training. The word was also used
to designate local Jewish communities within and without Palestine.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Readings at Mass

First reading

Isaiah 8:23-9:3 ©

In days past the Lord humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in days to come he will confer glory on the Way of the Sea on the far side of Jordan, province of the nations.

The people that walked in darkness

has seen a great light;

on those who live in a land of deep shadow

a light has shone.

You have made their gladness greater,

you have made their joy increase;

they rejoice in your presence

as men rejoice at harvest time,

as men are happy when they are dividing the spoils.

For the yoke that was weighing on him,

the bar across his shoulders,

the rod of his oppressor –

these you break as on the day of Midian.

Psalm

Psalm 26:1,4,13-14 ©

The Lord is my light and my help.

The Lord is my light and my help;

whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life;

before whom shall I shrink?

The Lord is my light and my help.

There is one thing I ask of the Lord,

for this I long,

to live in the house of the Lord,

all the days of my life,

to savour the sweetness of the Lord,

to behold his temple.

The Lord is my light and my help.

I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness

in the land of the living.

Hope in him, hold firm and take heart.

Hope in the Lord!

The Lord is my light and my help.

Second reading

1 Corinthians 1:10-13,17 ©

I appeal to you, brothers, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, to make up the differences between you, and instead of disagreeing among yourselves, to be united again in your belief and practice. From what Chloe’s people have been telling me, my dear brothers, it is clear that there are serious differences among you. What I mean are all these slogans that you have, like: ‘I am for Paul’, ‘I am for Apollos’, ‘I am for Cephas’, ‘I am for Christ.’ Has Christ been parcelled out? Was it Paul that was crucified for you? Were you baptised in the name of Paul?

For Christ did not send me to baptise, but to preach the Good News, and not to preach that in the terms of philosophy in which the crucifixion of Christ cannot be expressed.

Gospel Acclamation

cf.Mt4:23

Alleluia, alleluia!

Jesus proclaimed the Good News of the kingdom

and cured all kinds of sickness among the people.

Alleluia!

EITHER:

Gospel

Matthew 4:12-23 ©

Hearing that John had been arrested, Jesus went back to Galilee, and leaving Nazareth he went and settled in Capernaum, a lakeside town on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. In this way the prophecy of Isaiah was to be fulfilled:

‘Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali!

Way of the sea on the far side of Jordan,

Galilee of the nations!

The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light;

on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death

a light has dawned.’

From that moment Jesus began his preaching with the message, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’

As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew; they were making a cast in the lake with their net, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.’ And they left their nets at once and followed him. Going on from there he saw another pair of brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they were in their boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. At once, leaving the boat and their father, they followed him.

He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness among the people.

OR:

Alternative Gospel

Matthew 4:12-17 ©

‘Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali!

Way of the sea on the far side of Jordan,

Galilee of the nations!

The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light;

on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death

a light has dawned.’

From that moment Jesus began his preaching with the message, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’

Pray a Rosary each day for our nation.

Pray the Rosary

1. Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

2. The Apostles Creed: I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

3. The Lord's Prayer: OUR Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

4. (3) Hail Mary: HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)

5. Glory Be: GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.

Announce each mystery, then say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima prayer. Repeat the process with each mystery.

End with the Hail Holy Queen:

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus!

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Final step -- The Sign of the Cross

The Mysteries of the Rosary

By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary.
The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below.

The Glorious Mysteries
(Wednesdays and Sundays)
1.The Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-8, Mark 16:1-18, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-29) [Spiritual fruit - Faith]
2. The Ascension (Mark 16:19-20, Luke 24:50-53, Acts 1:6-11) [Spiritual fruit - Christian Hope]
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-13) [Spiritual fruit - Gifts of the Holy Spirit]
4. The Assumption [Spiritual fruit - To Jesus through Mary]
5. The Coronation [Spiritual fruit - Grace of Final Perseverance]

Feast of
the Holy Name of Jesus

Luke 2:21 "...Et vocatum est Nomen eius IESUS"
("And His Name was called JESUS")

Psalm 90:14 "Because he hoped in me I will deliver him:
I will protect him because he hath known My Name."

Zacharias 10:12 "I will strengthen them in the Lord,
and they shall walk in His Name, saith the Lord."

Apocalypse 3:8 "I know thy works. Behold, I have given before thee a door opened, which no man can shut: because thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied My Name."

Apocalypse 15:4 "Who shall not fear Thee, O Lord, and magnify Thy Name?..."

Blessed be the most holy Name of Jesus without end!

January Devotion: The Holy Name of Jesus

The month of January is traditionally dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus. This feast is also celebrated on January 3. Here is an explanation of the devotion.

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has associated entire months to special devotions. The devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus has been traditionally associated with the month of January, due to its celebration on January 3. The name Jesus was given to the Holy Child at God's command (Luke 1:31). The Holy Name is all-powerful because of the Person who bears it; we honor it because of the command of Christ, that we should pray in His Name and because it reminds us of all the blessings we receive through our Holy Redeemer. Hence St. Paul was able to write to the Philippians: ". . . at the name of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth" (Phil. 2:10). By means of this devotion we also make amends for improper use of the Holy Name.

Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954

Prayer/Hymn in Honor of the Most Holy Name of Jesus - Iesu, Dulcis Memoria

Iesu, Dulcis Memoria is a celebrated 12th century hymn attributed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153), Doctor Mellifluus. The entire hymn has some 42 to 53 stanzas depending upon the manuscript. Parts of this hymn were used for the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, which was formerly celebrated on the Sunday between the Circumcision and Epiphany, or failing such a Sunday, on January 2. The part below was used at Vespers. In the liturgical revisions of Vatican II, the feast was deleted, though a votive Mass to the Holy Name of Jesus had been retained for devotional use. With the release of the revised Roman Missal in March 2002, the feast was restored as an optional memorial on January 3.

Jesus, the very thought of Thee
With sweetness fills the breast!
Yet sweeter far Thy face to see
And in Thy presence rest.

No voice can sing, no heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find,
A sweeter sound than Jesus' name,
The Savior of mankind.

O hope of every contrite heart!
0 joy of all the meek!
To those who fall, how kind Thou art!
How good to those who seek!

But what to those who find? Ah! this
Nor tongue nor pen can show
The love of Jesus, what it is,
None but His loved ones know.

Jesus! our only hope be Thou,
As Thou our prize shalt be;
In Thee be all our glory now,
And through eternity. Amen.

---Roman Breviary

Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954

O Divine Jesus, Thou hast promised that anything we ask of the Eternal Father in Thy name shall be granted.

O Eternal Father. In the name of Jesus, for the love of Jesus, in fulfillment of this promise, and because Jesus has said it, grant us our petitions for the sake of Jesus, Thy Divine Son. Amen.

Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Phil:2:10-11

The Most Holy Name
The Power of Jesus’ Name
What does IHS stand for? The meaning of the Holy Name of Jesus [Catholic Caucus]
Litany Of The Holy Name of Jesus
Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus
Jesus, The Name above all Names
Devotion to the Holy Name (of Jesus) [Catholic Caucus]
Lessons In Iconography : The Chi Rho - Christ
St. Francis de Sales on the Most Holy Name of Jesus (Excerpt from a Sermon) (Catholic Caucus)
St. Francis de Sales on the Most Holy Name of Jesus (Catholic/Orthodox Caucus)

St. Bernard on the Most Holy Name of Jesus [Ecumenical]
Saving the day in His Holy Name: St. Genevieve gets a reprieve [Catholic Caucus]
The Holy Name of Jesus
Holy Name of Jesus [San Bernadino of Siena] Ecumenical
The Holy Name of Jesus
Devotion to the Holy Name [of Jesus]
The Name of Jesus: Its Power in Our Lives
The Holy Name of Jesus
Devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus
The Holy Name of Jesus

Jesus Christ, Light of the World

Lectio Divina: 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A

Paris, January 24, 2014 (Zenit.org) Monsignor Francesco Follo | 538 hits

1) The first call: "Repent."

In today's passage the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew tells us that Jesus left Nazareth, where in hiding he had lived a normal daily life, so that none of his fellow villagers[1] had seen in him someone exceptional, and went to Capernaum to bring the light of God. He went to a place where there was a great mixture of Jews and other peoples, and for this reason was called by the Jews "Galilee of the Gentiles," or "province of the pagans."

The human logic would have expected that the messianic proclamation would have started from the heart of Judaism that is from Jerusalem[2], and instead it starts from a peripheral region, Galilee, generally despised and considered tainted by paganism. But just what it is considered a surprise, for St. Matthew is the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy and the telltale sign of Jesus, the universal Messiah that grinds all forms of particularism.

Jesus began from this "apparent" suburb[3] to illuminate both the Holy City and the world, and his announcement is summarized by St. Matthew in a concise formula “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mt. 4:17). These first words of Jesus are simple and few. St. Mark writes: " This is the time of fulfilment, the kingdom of God is at hand: repent, and believe in the Gospel" (Mk 1:15). The words recorded in the Gospel of today are even more spare ("Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand"), and perhaps because of their own sobriety, not clear to us modern men and women. To understand these words and to understand well the difference between John's message and the message of Jesus, I propose an explanation in our language in trying to bring out their meaning, eternally alive.

"The time is fulfilled." The time awaited, prophesied and foretold has come to fullness. The time of living without knowing the beauty of the life with Christ has come to completion. The time of deceptions has come to an end. It is time to open our eyes to God and contemplate His face which then becomes, in a measure, ours.

"The Kingdom is at hand." John the Baptist said that a king would soon come to establish a new kingdom: the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus gives the good news that the King has come and that the doors of the Kingdom are open. The Kingdom is not the old-fashioned imagination of a poor Jew of twenty centuries ago, an ancient thing, a dead memory, a shattered dream. The Kingdom of heaven is within us. It starts now: it is also our work, for our happiness in this life, on this earth. It also depends on our will, on our answering yes or no to the vocation of Christ, who calls us to be holy that is to look at heaven, to wish for heaven and hope to live forever in heaven. The Kingdom of God is peace and joy[4].

"Repent" says Jesus. “Repent,” even this "old” word has been distorted from its true meaning. The word of the Gospel in Greek “Metanoeite” cannot be translated into Latin as “poenitemini” or in English as “do penance." Metanoia is properly a change of the way of thinking, a change of mind and the transformation of the soul. Metamorphosis is a change in the form; metanoia is a change of spirit, a change of mentality. Rightly the translation is "conversion" which is the renewal of the inner man. The idea of "repentance” and “penance " are applications and illustrations of the invitation of Jesus to turn to Him, to move toward the light.

The Messiah invites us to convert to the light of truth and to the bliss of love.

In loving Him we’ll know Him better, and knowing Him better we will love Him even more. We love only what we know well, love makes transparent those we love. The first conversion is to believe in the Word of Love. “Faith, tied as it is to conversion, is the opposite of idolatry; it breaks with idols to turn to the living God in a personal encounter. Believing means entrusting oneself to a merciful love which always accepts and pardons, which sustains and directs our lives, and which shows its power by its ability to make straight the crooked lines of our history. Faith consists in the willing- ness to let ourselves be constantly transformed and renewed by God’s call.“ (Pope Francis, Lumen Fidei, #13)

2) A call in the call

The passage of the Encyclical of Pope Francis led us to comment on the second part of today's Gospel, which speaks of the calling of the first disciples. Jesus makes the proposal to follow Him on the shore of Lake Capernaum, where He was preaching and where men were busy with their work.

There is no exceptional setting for the calling of the first disciples: a port on the shore of a lake, a place of work for the fishermen.

Let’s try to bring out the essential features of this tale of life.

Jesus is the protagonist. He is the central character. His is the initiative (“He saw two brothers “- Peter and Andrew - “and said unto them ‘Follow me.’ He saw two other brothers “- James and John of Zebedee – “and called them ").

It is not the man who proclaims himself a disciple, but it is Jesus that converts the man and calls him to be his disciple choosing him with love. The disciple then is not called in the first place to learn a doctrine but to live with a Presence that is the emotional center of his life of “called one”. In the first place there is the attachment to the person of Jesus

This membership requires a profound detachment. James and John, Peter and Andrew leave their nets and the boat and their father. In other words they live the work and the family. The work ensures security and social esteem, the father represents the roots. This is a radical departure.

This separation makes it possible to respond to the call of Jesus by following Him fully and freely. The two verbs "leave" and "follow" indicate a shift of the center of the life of the person called. The call of Jesus is not in view of a social arrangement, does not located in one state, but sets off on a mission.

Finally, we see that the characteristics of the disciple are at least two: the communion with Christ ("follow me ") and a move towards humanity ("I will make you fishers of men"). The second one stems from the first. Jesus does not put his disciples in a separate, closed space. He sends them along the roads of the world. In this respect also Pope Francis speaking of Saint Peter Favre, a French Jesuit, invites us to imitate this “Companion of Jesus" letting “Christ occupy the center of the heart[5]."

Even the Consecrated Virgins live this "centrality" of Christ, following him in full abandonment and loving trust and imitating the first 4 apostles chosen by Jesus. It is not a coincidence that they were fishermen. The fisherman, who lives most of his days in the pure solitude of the water, is the person who knows how to wait. It is the patient person who is in no hurry, drops his net and relies on God .The water throws tantrums, the lake has its own eccentricities and the days are never alike. Starting to go off in search of fish, the fisherman does not know if he will return with boat full or without even a fish to put on the fire for his meal. He puts himself in the hands of the Lord who sends the abundance and famine. He consoles himself for the bad day thinking about the good one to come.

With talent and feminine sensibility capable of supreme dedication, the Consecrated Virgins live the same call of the apostles-fishermen. They live the same path of holiness of the one who chooses to follow Christ with dilated heart and the same humility of the Holy Family of Nazareth (such as the Ambrosian liturgy recalls today) of which obviously Jesus was the center and where evidently the home of the one was the affection of the Other.

Mary and Joseph guarded and helped Jesus to grow not only because He would have said words of eternal life, but because in faith they knew that He was the Word of Life forever.

---

Roman Rite

Is 8:23b-9:3; Ps 27; 1Cor 1:10-13; Mt 4:12-23

Arlington Catholic Herald

GOSPEL COMMENTARY MT 4:12-23

Love and change

Fr. Robert Wagner

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Not surprisingly, this is the first public message that Jesus preaches in the Gospel of Matthew. In these words we recognize the incredible reality that surrounds the presence of Jesus in our midst, the immensity of His love for us and His desire for our salvation that flows from that love.

That being said, the first part of Christ’s proclamation — “Repent” — may be a stumbling block for us. Too often, when we are told to change our ways, we respond with negativity, even in cases when we know the change is well-advised. A demand for conversion or repentance requires us to admit that there are faults and sins that keep us from being the person God created us to be. Such self-examination is difficult, so in our pride, our defenses go up when someone suggests we are less than perfect, even when that someone is Jesus. And so we bristle at the divine command to repent, and in the confusion and self-love that follow we may even begin to doubt the sincerity of God’s love for us. Jesus loves us unconditionally, so why would He command us to change? Shouldn’t His great love for us allow Him to accept us as we are?

Of course, we know the answer to this. Jesus does love us, even in our sinfulness. But He does not want us to remain in our sin, so in His love for us, He tells us to change. This is not a unique situation: a call for change driven by love (not opposed to it). We see it when mothers and fathers shape the virtue of their children by telling them what they are doing right and wrong. Or when husbands and wives try to lovingly correct each other in order to strengthen their marriage when they find that their spouse’s actions are causing harm. In severe cases, we know that loved ones confront friends and family who are struggling with a dangerous way of life so that he or she may live life more freely and fruitfully.

Love does not exclude someone from correcting another’s fault. In fact, if that fault keeps a loved one from happiness, love requires that the damaging fault be addressed.

Therefore, at the very start of His ministry, Jesus tells His followers to repent and gives a reason for it: “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” This announcement takes on its richest, fullest possible meaning when proclaimed by Jesus because it is His kingdom that has arrived, the kingdom of God. He is the King who comes to conquer sin and death, to save each and every one of us, and to bring peace throughout His kingdom. And thus at the beginning of His ministry, when Jesus reveals that His glorious kingdom “is at hand,” we first encounter this eternal promise of triumph, peace and joy.

Our Gospel this Sunday translates the command “Repent” from the Greek word “metanoein,” which could also be translated as, “Change your mind” When we realize the startling reality that confronts us — the kingdom of God is among us — the perspective cannot help but change our hearts and minds. When we are honest with ourselves, we recognize that in many ways we do not live as members of the kingdom of heaven but instead are focused on the passing things of this world. In His love, Jesus tells us to look at the glorious gift He is offering us, and confronted with its beauty identify what it is that keeps us from fully participating in the triumph of the heavenly King. Jesus wants us to share the fullness of the kingdom He brings. He longs for us to change that we may have life to the fullest.

With Christ’s coming, the people in darkness have seen a great light. Let us pray for the humility to heed Our Savior’s call to change without taking offense, to see our actions in the light of His truth and love, and cast off the sinfulness that impedes our full participation in His everlasting kingdom, today and for all eternity.

Fr. Wagner is Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde’s secretary.

The Work of God

Year A - 3rd Sunday in ordinary time

Jesus settled in Capernaum - Repent

Matthew 4:12-23

12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee.
13 He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali,
14 so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
15 "Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles --
16 the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned."
17 From that time Jesus began to proclaim, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near."
18 As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea -- for they were fishermen.
19 And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fish for people."
20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
21 As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them.
22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.
23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people. (NRSV)

Inspiration of the Holy Spirit - From the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Shortly after my Baptism in the river Jordan, John the Baptist was arrested, to die later because of my cause. I moved then to Capernaum in fulfillment of the Holy Scriptures. My time had come to start the salvific mission that would change the face of the earth.

I was the great light that came to shine in the world, already obscured by the darkness of the ignorance of God and the life of sin. My words were not ordinary words but the Word of God, I was in fact that Word of God living in the flesh.

Therefore I came to make use of my creative words in order to re-create the life of man by my forgiveness, otherwise the curse made in Paradise would stand and dust would go back to dust for eternity. I came to offer the resurrection after death and eternal life, which is to be found in Me only.

The first words of my message are the key to your salvation: "Repent, the Kingdom of Heaven is near", in fact it is within yourselves. In other words it depends entirely on your will to decide either for me, the light, or for darkness; for me, the life, or for death. These words have continual power so that anyone who listens to them and puts them into practice will be given grace to live the way of life I that have proposed.

To those who first listened to them, I also said: "follow me", and because they were fishermen I told them to become fishers of men. They had no objection to my divine invitation because they were given the light of understanding and the wisdom to appreciate the weight of my call to become disciples.

I am repeating the same words to every soul. Repent, my Kingdom starts in your heart, in your decision to accept my word and in your humility to accept my offer, "follow me", I will make you disciples and apostles, you will have a safe place in my Kingdom, your reward will be paid with infinite grace and everlasting joy.

Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary

Archdiocese of Washington

Come and Go with Me, to My Father’s House – A Homily for the 3rd Sunday of the Year

By: Msgr. Charles Pope

In these early weeks of “ordinary” time we are increasingly introduced to Jesus and to the beginnings of his public ministry. In Matthew’s Gospel today we hear described how Jesus began his public ministry in the wake of the arrest of John the Baptist. And Matthew tells us Four things regarding this ministry of Jesus: its Context, its Content, its Call and its Comprehensiveness. Let’s look at each in turn.

I. The CONTEXT of Jesus Ministry - The text says, When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen.

The relocation of Jesus northward from Judea up to Galilee tells us some important truths. First, it tells us of the hostility of the southern regions to the message of John the Baptist and Jesus. The area in and around Judea which included, principally, Jerusalem was controlled by a sort of religious ruling class (the Sadducees especially, and to a lesser extent the Pharisees). Since they were in strong but often controverted leadership in these areas, they were far less open to ideas which in any way threatened their leadership or questioned the rituals related to the Temple.

As we know, Jesus did not come to abolish the Law but he did come to fulfill it and this was threatening to those tied to the current status quo, most of whom did not distinguish fulfillment from abolition, and saw only threat. Further, the Herodian dynasty was also threatening especially in the south and had arrested John the Baptist.

Jesus thus, moves north to more fertile territory to begin his public ministry. The Jewish people in Galilee were less hostile. In fact the people of Jerusalem often looked down upon them for their more simple, agrarian ways and “rural accent.” But here was more fertile ground for Jesus to begin.

Now there is an important lesson for us in this. While we must carefully preserve Christian orthodoxy and only accept a development of doctrine that is organic and faithful to the received Apostolic Tradition, it is also true that we can sometimes stifle the Holy Spirit who will speak to us through unexpected people and in unexpected ways.

The Pharisee leaders simply rejected the notion that any prophet could come from Galilee. When Nicodemus encouraged them to give Jesus a hearing they scoffed: Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee (Jn 7:52). It is possible for us to insist upon things where freedom is permitted for a Christian. There are various degrees of expression permitted in the liturgy and there are often different schools of theological thought which the Church sanctions.

Balance is required of us. There may be preferences that we have for Thomistic formulations, Carmelite spirituality, charismatic worship, or traditional Latin Mass worship. Such things are legitimate matters for on-going discussion, but we can too easily be threatened by what the Church currently deems to be legitimate diversity. Discovering a the range and limits of diversity is an on-going matter for the Church but we ought not permit the field of our own soul to be hostile to Jesus and his ministry, which may come to us more diverse ways that we, of our self, prefer.

How tragic it was for Judea that Jesus thought he had to move on to more fertile territory, and what a blessing it was for Galilee that he moved there. The fact is, that unfounded stubbornness can be hinder the Word of God in us. Jesus moved on to a more accepting context wherein his ministry could bear the greatest fruit. St. Gregory the Great has this to say about the context for preaching and necessary fertility of the field:

For frequently the preacher’s tongue is bound fast on account of his own wickedness. as the psalmist says: But God asks the sinner: Why do you recite my commandments? (PS 50:16) On the other hand it sometimes happens that because of the people’s sins the word of preaching is withdrawn from those who preside over the assembly as the Lord tells Ezekiel: I will make your tongue cleave to the roof of your mouth, so that you shall be dumb and unable to reprove them, for they are a rebellious house. (Ez 3:26) He clearly means this: the word of preaching will be taken away for they are unworthy to hear the exhortation of truth. It is not easy to know for whose sinfulness the preacher’s word is withheld, but it is indisputable that the shepherd’s silence while often injurious to himself will always harm his flock. – (St. Gregory the Great Hom. 17,3, 14)

For Galilee there was this boon: The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined (Is 9:2) But for others, Jesus had only this to say, Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. (Matt 21:43)

II. The CONTENT of his MINISTRY – The text says, From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

We have discussed before the careful balance of Jesus’ preaching. He is willing to challenge and so say, Repent! But he also declares the good news that the kingdom of heaven is at hand! Accepting the ministry of Jesus requires that we avoid both presumption and despair.

To those who make light of sin and their condition as a sinner, Jesus says repent. It is wrong to presume that we do not need an on-going healing power from the Lord to overcome our sin. And perhaps our greatest sin is our blindness to our sin. Most human beings do not seem to comprehend how serious their condition is. The word translated here as “Repent!” is μετανοεῖτε (metanoeite) which means more literally “to come to a new mind, or a new way of thinking.” In our sin soaked world where sin is so pervasive as to almost be unnoticed, Jesus says, “Come to a new mind. Understand your condition and need for mercy and grace. Come to understand that without the rescue that only God can give, you are lost.” And hence we are told to reject presumption.

But we are also told to reject despair, for the Kingdom of God is at hand. In other words, the grace and mercy of God are now available to rescue us from this present evil age and from our carnal condition. Through Christ we are granted admittance to the Kingdom and the Spirit of God can overcome our carnal, sin nature and bring us true holiness.

The proper mean between presumption and despair is the theological virtue of Hope. By hope we confidently expect God’s help in attaining eternal life. By proper metanoia (repentance) we know that we need that help, and by hope confidently reach for it.

In our own proclamation of the kingdom we also need the proper balance exhibited by Jesus. Consider how, with children, that if all they hear is criticism they become discouraged (despair). But if all they hear is praise and are never corrected: they become spoiled and prideful and presume everything should be just as they want it.

For the Church too, a balance is necessary. Too many expect the Church only to affirm and “be positive.” But this leads to a more selfish and incorrigible world and to a presumption that nothing matters (as we can plainly see). Thus the Church must announce the call to repentance. But the Church must also offer hope and mercy to sinners. She must offer grace though the Sacraments and by her preaching which, with God’s power, makes the Kingdom of God to be “at hand.”

III. The CALL of his Ministry The text says, As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him.

Jesus, in building his kingdom, summons men to follow him. He will train them to be the leaders of his Church as Apostles. The Kingdom of God is not only about calling disciples but also about developing leaders to provide order and authority in the Church.

Even the most “democratic” of organizations requires authority and leadership. Without these there is anarchy and a battle of wills. Hence the Lord calls not only disciples, in the early stages of his public ministry, he also grooms leaders. Consider three things about the Lord’s call here.

A. His ARTICULATENESS: He says to these apostles, Come Follow me! Notice that his announcement is unambiguous. Good leaders like the Lord are clear to make known what they ask, indeed, what is demanded. He is clear to set the course and point the way. And HE is that way.

B. His APPEAL - Jesus must have had a personal appeal and exuded an authority that was strong and reassuring. His appeal to them was personal: come follow ME. He did not merely say come and “learn my doctrine,” or “accept my vision.” He said, follow ME. So too, as we hand on the faith to our children and to others, we cannot simply say, here is a Catechism follow it. We must also take the next step and say follow the Lord with me. We cannot simply say what a book says, correct though that book is. Ultimately we must be able to say, I am a personal witness to the fact that God is real and that the truth he has given to the Church is authentic and is changing my life. Our appeal must include the personal testimony that what we proclaim is real and is changing our life: COme and go with me to my Father’s house.

C. His APPROACH - Note that the Lord builds on what they know: fishing. He starts with the familiar to draw them to the less familiar. In a way he is saying that the gifts they are currently using are just the gifts they can use as leaders in God’s Kingdom. Fishermen are:

Patient - Fishermen often wait long hours for the fish to bite. So too as Apostles and Bishops there must be a patience, a capacity to wait long periods before there is a catch for the Lord.
Perceptive - Fishermen learn to know the fish and their behavior and what attracts them. So too Apostles and clergy must learn of their people and what will attract them to Christ.
Persevering - Fishermen must often go out for many days with little catch. Only through perseverance is there real gain in fishing. So too with the Work of the clergy who may go long stretches with little to show. The gospel may go “out of season” even for decades in certain cultures (like our own). The good leader will persevere, will stay at the task.

IV. The COMPREHENSIVENESS of his Ministry – The text says, He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people.

Therefore note that all of Galilee was his mission field and he covered it comprehensively. He also cured of every disease and illness. And thus the Church is catholic and must also address every part of the world and provide a comprehensive vision for life. We may not have the power to simplistically cure every ailment and problem, but we can provide the vision of the Paschal mystery that sheds light and brings spiritual healing to every affliction. If we are suffering and dying, so to did Jesus but only to rise and be glorified on account of his fidelity and obedience.

So too for the Church and for the Christian, the grace and the comprehensive answer to every affliction is that we are always carrying about in our bodies the dying of Christ so that the rising of Christ may also be manifest in us (2 Cor 4:10). We seek to bring healing to everyone we can, and where physical remedies are not possible, the truth of the Gospel reassures that every Friday, faithfully endured, brings forth, by God’s grace an Easter Sunday.

Here then are four crucial insights to the beginning of Jesus public ministry. They remain for the Church and for all of us who would follow in Jesus’ footsteps important insights for us to acknowledge and imitate.

Sunday Gospel Reflections

3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time
Reading I: Isaiah 8:23-9:3 II: 1Cor 1:10-13,17

Gospel
Matthew 4:12-23

¹² Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee;
¹³ and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in Caper'na-um by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali,
¹⁴ that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
¹⁵ "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles--
¹⁶ the people who sat in darkness
have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned."
¹⁷ From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
¹⁸ As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.
¹⁹ And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."
²⁰ Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
²¹ And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them.
²² Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.
²³ And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people.

Interesting Details

"Kingdom of heaven" is identical to "Kingdom of God." At that time and even now, the Jews avoid the word "God" out of respect. Other words or circumlocations were used to convey the same meaning.
It is through the Church that Christ, and thus God, is present among all people. Through the Church, Christ calls everyone to eternal salvation. Kingdom of God is therefore the Church between the first and second coming of Christ.
Jesus was a good strategist. He had a keen sense for geography, timing and people:
* Galilee was at the crossroads of the area. Major highways from Egypt to Syria ran through this area. Galilee was a small area but very fertile, and it had a large population. The smallest village had more than 15,000 people. Capernaum, considered to be the base of Jesus' ministry, was a Galilean medium-size town of different nationalities on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee.
* Jesus called the fishermen during the off-season, when men commonly leave their fishing to others for awhile to follow some group interest.
* According to John 4:35-42, Simon, Andrew, James and John had met Jesus before this episode.
Because of Jerusalem, the Judeans looked down on the Galileans as "country bumkins." Since Nazareth was in Galilee, Jesus was considered a Galilean.
Fishery at the time of Jesus' public ministry was a major industry at the Sea of Galilee. Simon, Andrew, James and John probably were not poor folks but successful business men with a secure and stable lifestyle. Nets, boats, and family ties were signs of success among peer groups.
Traditionally, disciples sought out a Rabbi to learn about the Law in order to become Rabbis themselves. In contrast, Jesus, a Rabbi, seeks disciples. Other Rabbis teach the Law. Jesus preaches the new Kingdom of God and seeks personal loyalty to His way..
Synagogue was like a town center where the Jews gathered for community activities and religious ceremonies, e.g., teaching, administering of the Law, punishment. These religious ceremonies are not sacrificial in nature; sacrifices could be performed only in the temple.

One Main Point

BUILDING THE KINGDOM OF GOD TOGETHER WITH CHRIST

Jesus announced the beginning of the new Kingdom of God, which is on this earth. Penance and repentance are the prerequisites to enter this kingdom. This Kingdom of LOVE and HOLINESS is for all regardless of race or nationality. By this announcement, our Lord implies that God has intervened in a special way to save mankind. He also implies that we must be open to God's grace and reform our ways; we must take side, either with Him or against Him. Signified by the calling of Simon, Andrew, James and John into the Kingdom of God, Jesus invites us to join Him as His companions to participate in building the Kingdom of God. It is a mission.

Reflections

Jesus called Simon, Andrew, James and John when He PASSED by as they were carrying on their daily tasks. Can I recognize God's call in my daily life to be His companion? Has God ever called on me?
Contemplate the attitude of Simon, Andrew, James and John when Jesus invited them to follow Him when He PASSED by. What would be my attitude in responding to God's calling?
The Church is the Kingdom of God now. How do I feel about the Church? In the concept of ministry and mission, what have I contributed in building the Church?

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