Third Sunday of Ordinary Time (A)

 Third Sunday of Ordinary Time (A) [Mt 4:12-23]

22.01.2023

Jesus Begins His Public Ministry and Calls His First Disciples

Readings: (1) Is 8:23-9:3 (2) 1 Cor 1:10-13.17

1.  Theme in brief

Our basic call and mission

2.   Focus Statement

Jesus calls us everyday to follow him, and entrusts us with a mission to gather people into a community of love; we need to respond to it with a willingness to make sacrifices for it.  

3.  Explanation of the text

According to today’s gospel text, Jesus inaugurates his public ministry in “Galilee of the Gentiles” (4:15), with the proclamation of the central theme of his preaching; that is, the Kingdom of Heaven or God (4:17). This Kingdom is nothing but the loving rule of God over human lives. The given text also tells us how Jesus calls his first disciples and entrusts them with a mission to “catch people,” that is, to gather or draw people into that Kingdom (4:18-19).

Matthew’s gospel puts the inauguration of Jesus’ public ministry not in the elite region of Judea or the sanctified Jerusalem but in “Galilee of the Gentiles”. This region with a mixed population of Jews and Gentiles was despised by the respectable Jews in Judea as dull and backward. For them it was a land belonging to people who “sat in darkness” and in the “shadow of death” (4:16). Though the phrase “people who sat in darkness” in Isaiah’s prophecy originally meant Israelites who were under oppression and exile, echoing Jewish mentality in those days, Matthew applies it to the Gentile people in Galilean territory. For him, they are the people who “sat in darkness” and now have seen “a great light” (4:16) in the person and ministry of Jesus. Hence, indirectly Matthew echoes what John says in his gospel: Jesus is the light of the world (Jn 8:12) and has come to dispel the darkness of the Gentile world. The very fact that Jesus begins his public ministry in this region points to the universality of his mission and his preferential option for the marginalized.

It is in Galilee that Jesus solemnly proclaims the central theme of his ministry – the Kingdom of ‘Heaven’ (that is, God). Since Matthew wrote his gospel for the Jews who found it offensive to utter God’s proper name, he substitutes it with ‘heaven.’ He says that God’s rule which is firmly established in heaven is now being extended among the humans in the person and ministry of Jesus; it has now come so near to them in and through Jesus. But, in order to personalize it, they must ‘repent’ (4:17). Or in order to experience God’s total love, one must allow oneself to be totally governed by God and his values. That involves making God and his love as the centre of one’s life, or reversing the direction of one’s life from self-centeredness to God-centeredness. Repentance also implies a decision to stop walking far away from God’s ways (values) and to walk towards God and live by his standards. In other words, it means, allowing God to control or govern our life instead of “self”.

After announcing the main theme (also purpose) of his ministry, namely to establish God’s rule on earth, Jesus calls his first disciples to be his collaborators in this project. He calls them not only to collaborate but also to continue his mission to establish God’s rule or reign which is summarized thus in today’s gospel: teaching, proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom and healing from diseases (4:23). He calls two sets of brothers (first Simon Peter and Andrew, second James and John) to follow him, and entrusts them with a mission to gather people into God’s Kingdom or to establish it in every human heart (4:18-19). He calls them in the midst of ordinary life-situation and occupation, namely fishing. In a way he disrupts their normal routine and calls them for a different way of life. He tells them to give up their work of catching fish and begin ‘catching people,’ that is, drawing or gathering people into another net, the net of God’s Kingdom (4:19). In other words, their mission to fish for people implies creating new communities based on the values of God’s Kingdom.

How do the first disciples respond to Jesus’ call? Matthew’s double emphasis that both the pairs of brothers followed him “immediately” indicates their prompt response to Jesus’ summons or their decisive obedience to his call (4:20, 22). They respond by leaving their father Zebedee (implying family ties), nets and boat (implying possessions) and fishing activity (implying occupation). It is clear that following Jesus and doing his mission involves sacrificing of family ties, material possessions (or worldly attachments) and occupation.

4.  Application to life 

Jesus has come as a light to dispel darkness of sin and spiritual death. Like him, we are called to go out of our own ‘territory’ to shed light in regions of darkness and death. As followers of Jesus, we need to constantly examine ourselves and see whether our relationships and services are inclusive or exclusive; whether they are confined or limited only to our own community, only to one section or class of people. We are called to make a preferential choice to side with the underprivileged, the marginalized, the uneducated and the despised and all others who “sit in darkness” and are in “shadow of  (spiritual) death” (4:16). Today for us, the region of Galilee or Galileans could be likened to the  minorities (either religious, ethnic or racial), people of other religious faiths and traditions, people under the grip of anti-social elements and human rights violators, or those who advocate dehumanizing or life-threatening superstitions witchcraft. It is easy to work with like-minded people, or with those who belong to one’s own religion, ethnicity, gender, language and ideology. To go out of this circle requires a deliberate choice and a change of attitude.

The message of Jesus is a simple one: We must turn from our sins, and turn to God to bring his loving rule nearer to us. Contrary to God ruling over us, sin is self-rule and self-will run riot. When we allow sin and selfishness to take control of us, we are outside God’s Kingdom; when we allow God, his love and his will rule over us, we are in his Kingdom. To bring his rule in our hearts and experience his boundless love we must repent. Repentance in biblical sense does not mean merely an apology or saying “I am sorry,” but a change of one’s ways, direction, behavior, attitude and mind. If God has to completely rule over our lives or govern us we have to change our attitude or way of thinking that results in a change of life-style and a total submission to God’s love. This does not happen naturally or spontaneously, since as humans we are selfish by nature. For this, we need to open our hearts to Jesus and allow him to establish God’s loving rule over our lives and society. As his followers, we have to ask ourselves, “Actually, who or what is ruling over our minds, hearts, lives and families?” God or something (somebody) else? What needs to be changed in our mentality, attitudes and life style, if God has to be the only ruler? Unless we change, the Kingdom (i.e. God’s attributes of love, peace, justice) will not come near, but will be far away from us. What will be the result? Naturally, more fights, divisions, disunity, hatred, unrest and restlessness.

In today’s gospel text we observe a close connection between preaching, teaching and healing in Jesus' ministry (4:23).  It is clear that the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth involves not only preaching and teaching but also actions such as healing that brings wholeness to brokenhearted people and communities. Today, Jesus once again calls us to continue his mission of teaching even (at times even to the unreachable people), proclaiming his love to those who are hungry for love, and healing the wounded and broken hearts. He calls us daily in the midst of our usual work and busy life to sacrifice our energies and time to bring people into contact with his values of love, peace, justice, fellowship, etc, and build up communities based on these values.

Jesus calls us to draw people out of darkness to light, from selfishness to become sharers, from disharmony and division to unity in the community. As fishermen draw fish from the sea, we too are called to draw people out from the sea of sin and dehumanizing situations and gather them into the ‘net’ of a communion. We should not forget that we have a mission and responsibility to shed light in the midst of darkness of the world so that God’s love may triumph over forces of evil and death. We need to examine whether we are faithful to our mission to build up communities, or are busy only in building concrete structures and memorials. In the midst of a consumerist and materialistic society, if we are serious about following Christ daily, we have an obligation to renew the face of the earth with te enlightenment of the gospel .

To respond to his call, at times we have to sacrifice our family ties, household work and possessions as Simon Peter and his companions did. Jesus did not promise any material rewards when he called them. He called them to an uncertain future and the meaning of this call would become clearer only with trials and errors, faults and failures. Left to themselves, naturally they would have preferred to remain at home with their families and the little security they enjoyed. By deciding to follow Jesus they took a risk and ventured into an unknown future.  Today, we observe that when it comes to attending novenas, devotions and liturgical services, at least in developing countries, a large number of Christ’s disciples attend in full number. But when it comes to sacrificing one’s time and resources for the good of the community or the mission of Christ, they follow a policy of “touch me not, for I have no time for that!” In my pastoral field I have observed some women (wives) vehemently opposing the election of their husbands for leadership roles in the Church or community for which they are not paid. They say, “For nothing, why should you face criticism and opposition?” Similarly, I have also observe some men (husbands) criticizing and objecting to their wives’ involvement in social activities or church services, because of their unwillingness to sacrifice the regular services of their wives at home.

Priests and religious in the Catholic Church leave their families and possessions for good to make themselves available to people’s service as “full timers”. But following the Lord and doing his mission is not their monopoly. The lay people are also called to follow the Lord by sacrificing their family ties, time and resources as the first disciples did, at least as “part timers” when there is a need or the occasion demands it. They should not forget that Second Vatican Council has clearly stated that they too have a vocation and mission to “fish for people” derived from their baptism itself; it is not given by the clergy as a concession. Even though so many years have passed after the Great Council, till today many lay people do not feel impelled to fulfill their mission, either due of lack of awareness and unwillingness to sacrifice their time for some free service, or due to the long-standing tradition among the clergy and religious heads who are used to manage the church affairs in a monopolistic and non-participatory way. Today, both the groups need to become aware of the wrong attitudes prevailing for long years, and pray as well as work for a more participatory Church and leadership visualized by Second Vatican Council and advocated by the Small (Basic) Christian Communities; thus shun the feudalistic model of one-man show.

5.  Response to God's Word

Is our service all inclusive? Do we enter into common ventures with people of other faiths and ideologies, or avoid contacts and common work with them? What are the attitudes, prejudices, evil tendencies and selfish behaviour that we need to change in order to experience God’s loving rule in our hearts? If God calls us to render a definite service to our community or the Church by assuming some leadership roles or involvement, are we generous enough to answer his call? Are we willing to sacrifice some of our time, energies, resources and knowledge or expertise for the good of the community or the underprivileged? Do we willingly make sacrifices ‘‘immediately’’ like the disciples, or do we delay, postpone or avoid any involvement in community services which demand sacrifices?

6.  A prayer

Jesus, you have come as a light to dispel darkness. Give us the courage and strength to shed your light to all those who “sit in darkness” and are in “shadow of death”. Today we open our hearts to you and allow you to establish God’s loving rule over our lives. We repent for the times we allowed other worldly forces to rule over us. Grant that we may be faithful to the mission of drawing people out from the sea of sin and dehumanizing situations and gather them into a communion. Fill us with a spirit of sacrifice so that we may be sometimes able to leave our family ties, household work and possessions to fulfill your mission. Amen.