3rd Sunday of the Year A, 2017

May God help us realize that in order to be apostles who preach that the reign of God is hand and who are fishers of Men, we are to be completely converted to God. Happy Sunday! + John I. Okoye

DOCTRINE AND FAITH 
(Isaiah 8, 23b-9.1-3; 1 Cor 1, 10-13; Matt 4, 12-23: 3rd Sunday of the Year A, 2017)

 The gospel reading tells us that having received the news of John the Baptist’s arrest, Jesus went to Galilee and stayed in the remotest part, the area called the Galilee of the pagans. Here the population was mixed and in this much despised area, he begins his ministry. It is quite significant and shows the orientation of his ministry: Jesus always went to the small, humble and the most needy ones of our society. Furthermore, the evangelist Matthew sees the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in this region as the fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah who prophesied that the towns of Zebulon and Naphtali that had been dwelling in the shadow of death would see great light. Jesus is the great light that sprang up for all humanity as he himself says: I am the light of the world. The Evangelist, John in the prologue of his gospel holds: He (Jesus) is the light who illumines all who come into the world. The designation that Jesus is the light of the world means that he is the Way and the Truth. He not only accompanies us in our journey towards God the Father, but also makes assurance double sure that we reach God, our life destination. Jesus as light of the world also means that he is the Life, that is to say, the one who will ransom our soul from death confirming what he says: He who follows me will have the light of life. Jesus as light would also mean that he is also the source of joy. His birth was regarded as a great joy for the world (Luke 2,10). 
            Jesus begins his ministry with these words: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. The invitation to conversion is based on the good news: The kingdom of God is near. The Jews were expecting the kingdom of God that would change the face of the world, ushering in justice, peace and joy. Jesus affirms that the reign of God is near but adds that conversion is needed to have access to it. By this Jesus clearly indicates that the kingdom of God is not something outside the person but something that has to take root in the very heart of the person, through conversion. Conversion here means a total dedication of the heart, mind and being to and towards God. Nothing is to be hidden from God or kept outside the influence of God. There has to be the total surrender of oneself to God. It is people with such attitude of mind that welcome and admit the reign of God.

In the gospel story of today, we also see the call of the first apostles of Jesus. It is quiet significant that from the onset of his ministry, Jesus did not want to go alone. He called some people to be associates in his ministry of salvation for the world. The first associates he called were two sets of brothers: Simon and Andrew, James and John. They were called away from their occupation. They were casting their nets to catch fish but henceforth they would be casting a different kind of net to be catching people/followers. They left what they were doing and followed Jesus. The radical nature of their response should not be overlooked or oversimplified. They were not poor beggars. They were meaningfully and gainfully employed in one of the most stable occupation of the area. They had a lot to lose by following him and yet they dropped everything and followed Jesus. James and John even left their father. This was an unusual and unacceptable move in a society where kinship ties were very strong and loyalty to one’s father was of paramount importance. Let it also be borne in mind that these men were called and that they did not initiate their own discipleship as follows of rabbis normally did.

            The call of the first apostles of Jesus today should remind us of our own call to be his disciples and fishers of people. What are we expected to do as the disciples of Jesus? We are called to preach that the kingdom of heaven is at hand, whether in public ministry or in our private lives. We are to break the yoke that weighs people down and the rod that oppresses people. We are also to bring our brothers and sisters to Jesus, the source of joy. We are to usher in the light of Christ that would remove all shadows of darkness. Like St. Paul we are to work for unity, both in the Christian community and outside it.  But above all the disciple of Jesus will have to maintain a good relationship with the Master, Jesus, through continuous conversion. Continued conversion is facilitated by our nearness to the word of God and the sacrament of Eucharist. Happy Sunday! +John I. Okoye  

GRAPHICS  BY   chukwubike oc )