First Reading: Isaiah 8:23-9:3
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17
Gospel: Matthew 4:12-23
The readings of today tell us about the Christian vision and mission and are intended to stir us into action. The vision is seen in the proclamation of the kingdom of God to all people and the mission of every person is to proclaim the word of God to all.
The Gospel of today tells us that the spread of Christ’s kingdom depends as much upon us today as it did upon the Apostles during the time of Christ. The Gospel passage tells us that Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom. The Kingdom of God is the divine rule in the hearts of people. For his mission and task of proclamation Jesus invites an intimate band of people to be his disciples who would share his vision and mission and also become his witnesses in the world.
The First Reading of today tells us that the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness, on them great light have shined. Here prophet Isaiah reminds them that God’s light is always being offered to them a people who had suffered exile, oppression, fear and shame. He tells them that the people and their kings have turned down the invitation to come to true faith. Because they did not rely on God for security, the kingdom is destined to weaken and fall. Due to their spiritual weakness their land will be vulnerable to the invasions coming down from the north. But prophet Isaiah sees a future restoration initiated by the ideal king called Emmanuel in an earlier oracle. The rule of Emmanuel will make them wiser. Isaiah showed them that God through this new prince would bring them out of the darkness of Assyrian oppression into a time of light and joy.
Today’s Second Reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians gives an insight that walking in the Light means to be united in Christ. He was writing to a community suffering with numerous factions and divisions. Each faction had picked its own hero instead of directing everything to Christ. In his letter Paul counsels them not to participate in factions within the church and between the churches. He appeals to the Corinthians to be in agreement with each other, that there must be no divisions among them. He tells them that in a faith community where Christ is present, there should be perfect harmony among the believers because of their fellowship and unity is steadfast with Christ. To make his point clear he addresses them warmly as brothers and sisters. During his time the Christians in Corinth were divided into factions and identified themselves with various community leaders that they belonged to Paul, or Apollo or Peter and some said they are for Christ. The preaching of the Good News of Jesus begins with the word, Repent. His invitation to repent is to enter into a special relationship with God in response to his call. For ‘repent’ usually means to be sorry for, to regret, some wrong actions we have done in the past. Jesus is asking for much more than that. It is a call, not to wipe out the past, which is really not possible for any human person, but for a change of direction from now on and enter into a new future. The Greek word, rendered by many translations as equivalent to ‘repent’, is metanoia. This word implies a radical change of heart, change in one’s thinking, total transformation. It also means looking at life in a completely new way, making what is sometimes called a ‘paradigm shift’. This new way of seeing life is spelt out through the whole of the Christian Testament. The Good news that Jesus preaches is that people have to repent and change themselves as the kingdom of God is near. It is the good news of hope, peace, promise, truth and salvation that is contained in the kingdom. Jesus comes to his people as the herald or the messenger of good news. His message of the kingdom has certainty and assurance; it has total authority and power because it comes from the source which is God himself. The Scriptures indicate that the kingdom of God existed at the foundation of the world. It is the authority of God over everything that he created for John tells us that everything was created in and through Jesus. The mission of Jesus now is to re-establish this divine kingdom. There is the immediacy and the urgency in his proclamation as he says it is here and now.
We need to appreciate our call to be Christ’s disciples: Every one of us is called by God, both individually and as Church members. The mission of preaching, teaching, and healing which Jesus began in Galilee is now the responsibility of the Church. Our own unique vocation and relationship with the risen Lord is never separated from the Body of the universal Church. Be we monk, priest, married, or single lay persons, male or female, we are all called, and in this call we become what God wants us to be. Our response to the call begins with our Baptism and Confirmation, the Sacraments of Initiation. That response is strengthened through the years by the Eucharist and Reconciliation, and is made manifest in Matrimony or Holy Orders. We are healed and consoled in the Anointing which also prepares us for death. In addition, God is relentless in calling us back to Himself when we stray from Him. Let us make personal efforts, then, to see the Light of Christ and to grow in holiness by learning the truths that are revealed through the Holy Catholic Church and its Sacraments. Let us be shining lights in the world as Christ was, and let us and make a personal effort to bring others to the Truth and the Light, so that they may rejoice with us in the Church, the mystical Body of Christ, the present, developing form of the Kingdom of God.
God sends us to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom: “Jesus traveled throughout Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness among the people” (Mt. 4:23). Equally today, the Word of God, the promoting of the Good News of the Kingdom of Heaven, heals all kinds of ills. The Word of God transforms hearts so that victims may forgive those who have harmed them, those who have physically sexually, or psychologically abused them. When we receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, we are sent forth to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom and to defend the Catholic Faith. Like Peter, James, and John, we are asked by Jesus to take on the work of discipleship; we are asked to leave our “fishing nets” — our own needs and wants — to follow the example of love and servanthood given to us by Jesus; we are asked to rebuild our lives, homes, and cities in the justice and peace that Jesus proclaims. As we continue with the celebration of the Holy Mass, let us ask the Lord Jesus to give us the strength and perseverance to answer His calling so that we may faithfully serve the Lord according to His Divine Will.