Sunday, January
27, 2002
3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
1st
Reading: Is 8:23-9:3
Yahweh has just afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali;
but in the future he will confer glory on the way of the sea, on the land
beyond the Jordan - the pagans' Galilee.
The people who walk in darkness have seen a great light.
A light has dawned on those who live in the land of the shadow of death.
You have enlarged the nation; you have increased their joy.
They rejoice before you, as people rejoice at harvest time as they rejoice
in dividing the spoil.
For the yoke of their burden, the bar across their shoulders, the rod
of their oppressors, you have broken it as on the day of Midian.
2nd Reading: 1 Cor 1:10-13, 17
I beg of you, brothers, in the name of Christ Jesus, our Lord, to agree
among yourselves and do away with divisions; please be perfectly united,
with one mind and one judgment.
For I heard from people of Cloe's house about your rivalries. What I mean
is this: some say, "I am for Paul," and others: "I am for
Apollo," or "I am for Peter," or "I am for Christ."
Is Christ divided or have I, Paul, been crucified for you? Have you been
baptized in the name of Paul?
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to proclaim his Gospel. And
not with beautiful words! That would be like getting rid of the cross
of Christ.
Gospel: Mt 4:12-23
When
Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. He
left Nazareth and went to settle down in Capernaum, a town by the lake
of Galilee, at the border of Zebulun and Naphtali.
In this way the word of the prophet Isaiah was fulfilled: Land of Zebulun
and land of Naphtali crossed by the Road of the Sea, and you who live
by the Jordan, Galilee, land of pagans, listen:
The people who lived in darkness have seen a great light; on those
who live in the land of the shadow of death, a light has shone.
From that time on Jesus began to proclaim his message, "Change your
ways: the kingdom of heaven is near."
As Jesus walked by the lake of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called
Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake, for they were
fishermen. He said to them, "Come, follow me, and I will make you
fish for people."
At once they left their nets and followed him.
He went on from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee,
and his brother John in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their
nets. Jesus called them.
At once they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Jesus went around all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming
the good news of the Kingdom, and curing all kinds of sickness and disease
among the people.
Commentary
The message has long been proclaimed, yet it seems that the response has
always been the same - either people are too busy or they are simply indifferent
to the message. But just as the Word remains, so the message remains the
same. This Word continues to echo the great loving kindness of the first
Speaker and, in turn, the Word passes on to us the message of truth and
hope: the truth of our existence - that our life is far from ideal - and
the hope that in spite of our flawed existence, we are called to perfection,
if we but change our ways and turn to him who proclaims the message. He
calls us to follow him, to leave behind whatever we are preoccupied with,
that he may bring us to the fullness of life.