Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
I find it truly interesting that the very scripture passage that was read for Christmas is today’s first reading as well. Isaiah says:
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone.
You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing,
as they rejoice before you as at the harvest,
as people make merry when dividing spoils.”
Yet, it is not all that strange this very scripture passage is used again. If you noticed, the gospel reading introduces us to the beginning of Jesus ministry. The light that Isaiah is referring to, is Jesus.
I have three points for reflection for us today:
Jesus, the Light. In today’s gospel reading, Matthew introduces Jesus ministry with Isaiah’s words. This is very significant, because in this way, Matthew is also announcing that Jesus is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. And Jesus did indeed fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy. As Jesus moved through towns and villages it was as if a light was moving through those places. Jesus preached the good news of the coming of the Kingdom of God and he went about doing good. People who had no hope ever of knowing God, people who had no hope of ever knowing love, people who had no hope of ever being saved, people who felt alienated from God, people who lived in the fringes of society like the lepers, the prostitutes and sinners - they were welcomed into the Kingdom of God. All these people who lived in darkness experienced the light that Jesus brought. All the people’s darkness and burdens, all their sicknesses and pain, all their sins and injustices he took upon himself and nailed them all to the cross along with him. The cross…the cross, the greatest symbol of shame and darkness, is now transformed into the symbol of light. Because of Jesus, the cross that symbolized death, now symbolizes life. The symbol of hatred becomes the symbol of love. Thanks to the cross, no human being, no matter how miserable he or she is, is not without the hope of light and love of God. And that includes you and me.
2. The Cross and Its Meaning. I would like to reflect further on the cross of Jesus Christ by using St. Paul’s words in today’s second reading. Paul says, “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach, and not with the wisdom of human eloquence, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning.” What does it mean — to “empty the cross of its meaning?” Let me attempt an answer. We are Catholics and we constantly sign ourselves with the sign of the cross. We began this mass with the sign of the cross. The Cross of Jesus Christ stands for light, life, hope, reconciliation and acceptance. If we sign ourselves with the sign of the cross, then we are signing our lives with its meaning. In this sense, to empty the cross of its meaning would mean that my life is in contradiction to what the cross stands for. For St. Paul, the biggest issue was the division in the Corinthian community points out to one thing: division. If I am the cause of division that existed among them. For us, it could mean many things. If I bring disunity, then, then I empty the cross of its meaning. Bringing hatred, rejection of people, and ignoring the needs of those on the fringes of society would mean emptying the cross of its meaning. Not standing for what Christ would stand for, justice, peace, forgiveness, reconciliation, and love - that would be emptying the cross of its meaning. Living selfishly, living with me at the centre of life - that would be emptying the cross of it’s meaning. My life not reflecting the light, the hope, the life and the peace of Christ - that would be emptying the cross of it’s meaning.
3. Jesus Calls. Today’s gospel reading ends with the call of Peter, Andrew, James, and John. Jesus calls them so that he can make them “fishers of men.” As Matthew says, Jesus took them along with him as “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.” They would learn from him the meaning of being light to the nations. Today, that call is ours. The call to be fishers of men is not given just to Simon and Andrew or the twelve apostles, but to every follower of Jesus; to every one who makes the sign of the cross. Jesus calls us to bring that same light to the people around us. He calls us so that the cross might not be emptied of its meaning. He calls us so that the meaning of the Cross might endure in these difficult times. May we indeed be fishers of men.
May this Eucharist help us to be both experience Jesus as light and to bear witness to him. Amen.
- Fr. Satish Joseph