ISAIAH 8: 23-9: 3
PSALM 26: 1, 4, 13-14
1 CORINTHIANS 1: 10-13, 17
MATTHEW 4: 12-23
————————————————————————————In today’s Gospel, Jesus begins his mission with the words, “Repent, for the kingdom is close at hand.”
Jesus is inviting us to his kingdom and he is the light that will lead us there. Our response as the words of Jesus suggest, is one of repentance, and conversion.
The challenge for us is to recognize our own darkness and so let Jesus light shine that we can move away from that darkness. Mother Teresa of Calcutta tells a story of a man she visited in Melbourne. His little unit was a mess and dark with everything closed. And there he lived never venturing out unless for necessities. As she tried to clean up the place and open the curtains and windows, he told her not to worry for he was happy with the unit as it was.
We are sometimes like that man not realizing the darkness we live in because we have got so used to it. And because of this we refuse to let the light of Christ lead us to the kingdom of love. Even St Paul in the second reading had to remind the good Christians of Corinth of their dark side.
People will say though that Jesus said “Come as you are.”Jesus loves us no matter who we are, but because he loves us, he is concern when we let sin rule and destroy us He wants to help us out of our darkness into his kingdom of heaven.
Being a Christian is an ongoing conversion to God’s Wayof love to grow in holiness..
When we look at Jesus’ ministry, he cured many of their illness and demons. But they came to Jesus. And the spiritual healing is more important than the physical healing.
We too need to bring our sinfulness to Jesus that he may heal us and strengthen us.
Where is our darkness where we need to let the light of Christ to shine: is it violence, hatred, prejudice, fear, laziness, indifference, selfishness, pornography, unfaithfulness, greed, etc.
Matthew is inviting us through a journey with Peter and Andrew, and James and John as they journey with Jesus, to hear about the kingdom and live in it.
As we begin this journey, let us ask ourselves how ready are we to follow Jesus? Are we ready to take Jesus seriously in all he teaches? Are we ready to go where he calls us to? What if it gets difficult, will we abandon the journey? In Matthew’s Gospel, before Jesus’ crucifixion, Jesus told the parable of the wedding feast and how so many gave excuses for not coming. Are we ready to follow Jesus, or do we make excuses for not seeking to grow in faith?
The immediate response of Peter and Andrew, and James and John suggest the importance and urgency of the message and the faith they had in Jesus.
And there, is the reason for our journey with Jesus….our faith in him. He is our saviour and he is God, who else can we turn to? This is first and foremost, a journey of faith….If we say we believe in God and Christ His Son, let us follow him.
Let us put our faith in what he teaches because it is the light that leads us to life.
Merredin Catholic Parish 