Reflections for the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time A

 To know Jesus is to walk in the light for he is the light of the world. Without him  

the world is in darkness

3^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time A

Isaiah 8: 23-9.3, Psalm 26:1-4, 13-14 Rv.1. 1Cor 1:10-15.17.

They rejoice in your presence as men do at harvest time.

The Lord is my light and my help.

Be united in belief and practice

The people that lived in darkness have seen a great light.

Matthew 4:12-23

Hearing that John had been arrested he withdrew to Galilee,

13 and leaving Nazara he went and settled in Capernaum, beside the lake, on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali.

14 This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:

15 Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali! Way of the sea beyond Jordan. Galilee of the nations!

16 The people that lived in darkness have seen a great light; on those who lived in a country of shadow dark as death a light has dawned.

17 From then onwards Jesus began his proclamation with the message, 'Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is close at hand.'

18 As he was walking by the Lake of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew; they were making a cast into the lake with their net, for they were fishermen.

19 And he said to them, 'Come after me and I will make you fishers of people.'

20 And at once they left their nets and followed him.

21 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.

22 And at once, leaving the boat and their father, they followed him.

23 He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing all kinds of disease and illness among the people.

Is Jesus the light of your life?

When everything is in darkness because of a power failure we then appreciate the light. What a relief when the power returns and everything is lit up again. Jesus is the light of the world but we will not appreciate ‘this light’ until we appreciate the darkness in which we as human beings live. Until we feel the emptiness of life and the absolute frailty of human existence we will have no need for Christ. We will be satisfied with what we have, thinking we are in the light. When the power is gone and we read by the light of a candle we can become so used to this that we don’t think of the electric light. In the same way we can get so used to the life we have, that we don’t see the need for Christ. 

It is the poor and people who are deprived of material benefits that are open to Christ. No one can ‘convert’ another but we can share Jesus with others. What outsiders cannot understand is that we preach Jesus mainly because we want to share the joy that he has given us. We were once in darkness, not knowing where we came from, and to where we are going and how we should live during the few years that we are here. But Jesus has shown us the Way, taught us the Truth and given us Life. Jesus is for us the source of inestimable joy, peace and happiness. Through him we can always live with hope and can live in love with everyone, even enemies. Without Jesus our lives would be plunged into the thickest darkness and we would drag out our existence in misery. It is not a religion we preach but introduce people to the person, Jesus. He has conquered death and lives now to intercede for us. Evangelization is sharing the joy of our life with Jesus.

Is our religion for you a matter of practices, rituals, rules and prayers or is it a life of love with Jesus? Is Jesus someone real for you? Do you live with him, work with him and do everything for him. Is Jesus the light of your life?

            We are called now to follow him, as did the first disciples. Let us this year make Jesus the centre of our life. We don’t follow him physically as Peter, James and John but we follow him by listening to his Word every day and by our prayer and obedience to his Word.

            We only have one life and everything we earn we will one day have to leave behind. But Jesus our Lord and Lover will be forever at our side to continue to give us the joy and happiness of his presence, even in death.

Father your Son is with us today. May we have the experience of his presence and respond to his invitation to a life of love.