3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
23 January 2011
First reading Isaiah 8:23-9:3
In days past the Lord humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in days to come he will confer glory on the Way of the Sea on the far side of Jordan, province of the nations.
The people that walked in darkness
has seen a great light;
on those who live in a land of deep shadow
a light has shone.
You have made their gladness greater,
you have made their joy increase;
they rejoice in your presence
as men rejoice at harvest time,
as men are happy when they are dividing the spoils.
For the yoke that was weighing on him,
the bar across his shoulders,
the rod of his oppressor –
these you break as on the day of Midian.
Psalm: Psalm 26:1,4,13-14
Second reading 1 Corinthians 1:10-13,17
I appeal to you, brothers, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, to make up the differences between you, and instead of disagreeing among yourselves, to be united again in your belief and practice. From what Chloe’s people have been telling me, my dear brothers, it is clear that there are serious differences among you. What I mean are all these slogans that you have, like: ‘I am for Paul’, ‘I am for Apollos’, ‘I am for Cephas’, ‘I am for Christ.’ Has Christ been parcelled out? Was it Paul that was crucified for you? Were you baptised in the name of Paul?
For Christ did not send me to baptise, but to preach the Good News, and not to preach that in the terms of philosophy in which the crucifixion of Christ cannot be expressed.
Gospel Matthew 4:12-23
Hearing that John had been arrested, Jesus went back to Galilee, and leaving Nazareth he went and settled in Capernaum, a lakeside town on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. In this way the prophecy of Isaiah was to be fulfilled:
‘Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali!
Way of the sea on the far side of Jordan,
Galilee of the nations!
The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light;
on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death
a light has dawned.’
From that moment Jesus began his preaching with the message, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’
As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew; they were making a cast in the lake with their net, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.’ And they left their nets at once and followed him. 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. At once, leaving the boat and their father, they followed him.
He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness among the people.
Reflection
By Anabelle Payod-Balla
A lighthouse is a tower or building designed to emit light and used as an aid to navigation for pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses are also used to mark dangerous coastlines, hazardous shoals and reefs, and safe entries to harbors. And as we know, there are many stories about lives being saved due to lighthouses. Hundreds of fishermen were able to navigate home safely despite bad weathers because of lighthouses that enable them to determine which direction to go.
You and I, all of us, are lighthouses. We are designed to give light to others, to help show the right direction, and to warn about dangerous and hazardous ways of life. Unknowingly sometimes, we serve as lighthouses to people around us. Some people find their direction through us, through our actions, our words, our way of life. Our examples, the advices we give, the thoughts we share, the actions we do can point others to which option to choose, what decisions to make or which way to go in their journey through life. The question is, are we leading them to the right direction?
Like the lighthouses that need maintenance, we too, need to check and ensure that our lights are still functioning well. Let us keep our lights ever glowing by consistently and consciously plugging in to the main source of power- Christ, the ultimate lighthouse Who shows us the way to heaven. And like the apostles, let us join Christ without hesitation in leading others safely home, helping them save their souls by walking them towards Christ, towards our Father in heaven.
Father, thank You for giving us Jesus, our ever shining Light Who always shows us the right way to heaven. Please keep our lights glowing too so that we can also lead others towards You. Amen.
Joy In Sorrow
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