Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

January 26, 2020

Readings:

First Reading: Isaiah 8: 23 – 9:3

Psalm 27 “The Lord is my light and my salvation.”

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1: 10-13, 17

Gospel reading according to Matthew 4: 12-23

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Homily: Calling of the first disciples

Jesus for a while stayed with John in the Jordan after his baptism and before he went in the desert.  He just observed John's living in the wilderness, his food and clothing, his manner of preaching and of baptizing.  When he went away to the desert for forty days and forty nights, he became hungry and thirsty and being tempted by the devil, yet in the end he won all of this.  While he was away, John was arrested by King Herod for being told of his immoral living, and put him in a dungeon. When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee (Matthew 4: 12).  When Jesus came back from the desert, John was no longer there in the Jordan River. Nobody was there, too.  It was empty.  He learned that John was arrested through the command of Herod.  So, Jesus decided to go back to Galilee, where he lived.

Upon returning to his own town, Nazareth, in Galilee, he decided to move and stay in Capernaum with unknown reason or maybe because he will look there his new disciples or to fulfill the prophesy of Isaiah, the prophet.  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 might be fulfilled; 'Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in the land overshadowed by death light has risen' (Matthew 4: 13-16).  Jesus is the light to the nations and he will bring light to those in darkness and in the shadow of death.  He will bring light, life and hope to the people of Capernaum, land of Zebulun and Naphtali.  They were in darkness and in the shadow of death because no one teaches them the right way of life, to worship the true God and in harmonious relationship with their neighbors, on how to be human. There is a chance to change the way of life now that Jesus came.  They will receive teachings and preaching from the source of light and life.  While there he proclaimed the Gospel news about the Reign-Kingdom of God.  From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, 'Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand' (Matthew 4: 17).  He preached repentance for the forgiveness of sins to have a new life in God.

But this ministry of preaching all alone he cannot make it by himself, he needed companions to assist him and to train others in this kind of ministry.  He has to choose and call those he thinks can also carry this same apostolate, that he can trust, simple and humble.  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 (Matthew 4: 18).  Before he came to Capernaum, he already met Andrew and John, former disciples of John the Baptist who said and pointed Jesus as the Lamb of God and they followed him.  Andrew was the one who brought his brother Simon to Jesus who he called Peter; while John (the beloved) introduced James to Jesus as well.   

First, Jesus came to the boat of Peter and Andrew who were casting their nets at that time.  They were fishermen.  He said to them, 'Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men' (Matthew 4: 19).  He called them to become his disciples and fishers of men (catching men and women).  At once they left their nets and followed him (Matthew 4: 20).  Their responses were leaving their boat and nets, their livelihood and family and followed Jesus wherever he might go.

Together with Peter and Andrew, Jesus continued his walking and searching.  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 (Matthew 4: 21).  He found James and John, sons of Zebedee, in a boat with their father mending their nets.  He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him (Matthew 4: 22).  He also called them to become his disciples who will help him in proclaiming the Kingdom of God to all people they caught. They responded immediately when they also saw Peter and Andrew following Jesus.  They left their father in the boat and followed Jesus as well.  In just one day, Jesus found true disciples who can also do what he does, spreading the good news of the Kingdom of God through repentance from sinful life.   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 (Matthew 4: 23).  Jesus roamed around in Capernaum, with his first four disciples, teaching and proclaiming the Kingdom of God with curing every kind of diseases, illnesses and driving out demons in their synagogues.