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Reflections for 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A from Deacon Vincent

1st reading from the prophet Isaiah 8: 23- 9: 3.
Here we have Isaiah pointing to a time of peace, a period of respite before the Northern kingdom of Israel is destroyed. This prophecy of Isaiah refers to the fact that Gentiles of Zebulun and Naphtali are also included in God’s family. This area just beyond the Northern Kingdom fringed the chosen people’s territory and there was an element of interaction between Jews and Gentiles with a cross fertilisation of trade and ideas. He reports that God will enlighten the area with his Word. It would eventually become the Galilee where Jesus would base his mission. It is a significant shift for a prophet in Israel to be pointing to the salvation of God extending to the Gentiles. Matthew will aptly use this passage at the beginning of Jesus’ Ministry in his Gospel, which we will examine shortly.

Psalm 26: 1-4, 13-14.
A song of confidently trusting in God. A song of hope, something we need plenty of today, so we might turn to this song in times of worry and uncertainty. These songs were born out of the experience of the people as they journeyed towards keeping God’s Holy Covenant with his people which includes us by our baptism.

2nd Reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians 1: 10-13, 17
This letter is in response to Paul discovering these divisions in Corinth. They had slipped into different groups formed around various preachers and teachers. There must have been differences of practice or liturgy. Paul is furious, he asks a very pointed question, “Were Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, crucified for you?”, No it was Jesus Christ. “Were you baptised in the name of Paul, Apollos or Cephas?” No, it was Jesus Christ. Paul then affirms his central theme, “As for me, I am for Christ.” Christ is the centre of Paul’s life, and the centre of the Gospel. Obviously, differences in philosophy had crept in, but Paul is adamant that the crucifixion cannot be expressed in philosophical terms. His great appeal is to focus on Christ and follow his gospel life. It is a message for us also, we need to go from gospel, to life, and then life to gospel. He will then bind us together in unity. In the Eucharist we are one, because there is only one Christ.

The Holy Gospel according to Matthew 4: 12-23.
When John is arrested, Jesus goes back to Nazareth and packs his bags and goes to Capernaum a town that borders Zebulun and Naphtali. This enables Matthew to quote Isaiah’s prophecy to prove that Christ is moved by the same God as the prophets. Christ as the Word of God will enlighten the area with his Gospel preaching. We witness his calling of two pairs of brothers. The first to be called are fishermen Simon Peter and Andrew his brother with that wonderful phrase, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of people.” His presence must have been imposing, for they leave their nets there and then and follow him. Further on along the shore, he meets James and John both sons of Zebedee, preparing their nets for fishing. Jesus calls them also and leaving their nets and their father in the boat, they followed Jesus. They follow him around the district and witness his power of healing diseases and ailments. They are discovering that Jesus is more than a teacher he is becoming their Lord. The Gospel is obviously encouraging us to, also, be single minded in choosing Jesus over our own ambitions, in order to proclaim Jesus as our Lord and our God to the world. We need to trust the Holy Spirit to inspire us to move Jesus more central within our lives. It is a challenge and Jesus is asking us to step up to the challenge, in just the same way as he expected of Peter, Andrew, James, and John.
God Bless and inspire our Response to Jesus.
Deacon Vincent