3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

January 25, 2026

We are each called to be a disciple.

Matthew 4:12-23 (Jerusalem Bible)

Hearing that John had been arrested he withdrew to Galilee, 13.and leaving Nazareth he went and settled in Capernaum, beside the lake, on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali! Way of the sea beyond Jordan. Galilee of the nations! 16.The people that lived in darkness have seen a great light; on those who lived in a country of shadow dark as death a light has dawned. From then onwards Jesus began his proclamation with the message, “Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is close at hand.” As he was walking by the Lake of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew; they were making a cast into the lake with their net, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Come after me and I will make you fishers of people.” And at once they left their nets 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. And 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 disease and illness among the people.

(Zebulun and Napthali were the territories of the northernmost tribes of Israel, which the Assyrians invaded and destroyed in 721 BC, effectively wiping out the Northern Kingdom of Israel)

REFLECTIONS

First Impressions by Jude Siciliano, OP

Isaiah 8: 23-9:3; Psalm 27; I Corinthians 1: 10-13; Matthew 4: 12-23

We commonly make reference to Sunday’s three Scripture readings. But there are four. We tend to neglect the Psalm following the first reading. We call it a “Responsorial Psalm,” meaning it has been chosen as a response to the first reading – and it has. But that makes it sound like a lesser scriptural passage, i.e. just a “response.” The Psalms are not “lesser,” possessing second-class status in the Bible. Let’s look at the Psalm chosen for today’s “Response.” It’s part of Psalm 27. Psalms frequently bear titles which state their “theme.” Psalm 27 is called a “Psalm of Confidence.” It certainly does express confidence in God and is appropriate during the season between Advent/Christmas and Lent. In the Common Lectionary of our Protestant sisters and brothers these Sundays are counted as “Sundays After the Epiphany.” Epiphany means “showing.” In Advent we longed for the light of Christ. In Lent we will enter the stark wilderness longing for forgiveness. But for now, we celebrate “Epiphany” – God’s light, revelation, “showing.” What we hoped for in Advent is now at hand. As our first reading proclaims, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light, upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shown.” People tend to characterize the “God of the Old Testament” as angry and vengeful. They welcome Jesus’ arrival as a softening of God’s heart towards us. Psalm 27 is, just one of the many texts in the Hebrew Scriptures that give lie this caricature of God. The psalmist expresses trust and confidence in God and longs to dwell in the house of the Lord “all the days of my life.” And more. Just dwelling in God’s courts is not enough. The one praying the Psalm longs to see God face-to-face. No one wants a face-to-face experience with a cruel and judgmental God. In this prayer we can express a longing for a God of bounty. The psalmist encourages us to wait for the Lord. The expectation is that the one who longs for God will be satisfied. God does not stand far off and just observe us but satisfies our longing. The wait is well worth it. But all is not sweetness and roses. We detect real life as the background to this Psalm. It expresses confidence in God when something, or someone, is threatening that confidence, “The Lord is my light and my salvation whom should I fear?” It is a reminder that God has been present in hard times and is present now to help us face our struggles. We don’t know what fears the psalmist had. But we can certainly know the difficulties we face. Somehow, even in the face of our fears, God is already our “refuge” – a safe and secure hiding place. We name the hard times we face as we pray this Psalm today and express confidence in our trustworthy God, as well as a longing to “gaze on the loveliness of the Lord” in some real confidence-building way. Jesus hears that Herod has arrested John the Baptist. The voice that roamed the desert calling people to, “Prepare the way of the Lord,” has been silenced, locked in a prison cell. After John has been silenced Jesus’ voice is heard proclaiming, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Jesus doesn’t run and hide despite the danger. He takes his message to Galilee, which was ruled by Herod. Matthew quotes Isaiah, “The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light.” John is in prison, but you can’t imprison the Word of God which brings light to the “land of gloom.” Jesus preaches “Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” God is present and acting in a new way through Jesus. But in order to receive the message of life Jesus offers people, they must “repent.” They must change their minds, examine how they think and act. Do we find ourselves in some way sitting in darkness; dwelling in the land of gloom? Are we stuck in old ways of thinking, our imagination closed to the new possibilities which God’s presence can bring to fulfillment? Jesus invites us to think differently, leave behind the ways of “the land of gloom.” God’s kingdom is now; new life is being offered to those who will accept it. Jesus begins his preaching and healing ministry, but he can’t do it by himself. He needs to invite others to join him. Based on their achievements the first fishers didn’t have much to offer in service to the Lord. They could bring the skills learned as fishers – patience, hope and perseverance. In a way they also had to “repent,” put aside their limited ways of thinking and with Jesus have a change of mind and heart. They will be with Jesus and what they learn from being with him they will also share with others. Symbolic of the disciples’ willingness to change is their leaving behind family and possessions. They will have a new family with Jesus, and their former possessions will not be needed to do their mission of being “fishers of people.” You have to admire their initial enthusiasm and the spontaneity of their response to Jesus. But they are human and their dedication and loyalty will falter – especially when Jesus is taken prisoner and executed. Like us, they will need to remember that Jesus’ invitation to “repent” is offered each time they falter as followers. They were disappointed in Jesus; it didn’t turn out the way they hoped. It often doesn’t. But Jesus doesn’t give up on them – or us – and always welcomes us back when we “repent.” We choose gloom and darkness even when light and life are offered to us. We don’t have to be avid and knowledgeable Scripture readers to have heard today’s gospel before. “I will make you fishers of people.” We might even think to ourselves, “This doesn’t apply to me, I’m a Christian and one of Christ’s followers.” It’s not only a Scripture passage recalling a past event in the lives of the disciples. Following Jesus is not a once-for-all decision. It has to be renewed at each stage of our lives. Even daily: We may choose today to cheat a little at work; ignore the neighbor in need; close our ears to someone asking for help; not speak or act out of our commitment to Jesus etc. It may be a familiar passage. But it is not an echo from a past age, rather it is very much for today. Do we hear Jesus saying to us today, “Come after me and I will make you fishers of people?” We repent from what is the delaying our response to get up and follow him again and again. Again, the choice is before us to put the past and its attachments aside and follow Jesus. Click here for a link to this Sunday’s readings.

Quotable

“The Psalms are a mirror in which the soul may see itself and learn how to pray.” — St. Athanasius

Justice Bulletin Board by Barbara Molinari Quinby, MPS, Director Office of Human Life, Dignity, and Justice Ministries Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral, Raleigh, NC

One thing I ask of the Lord; this I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.—Psalm 27: 4

Back in December 1989, I read an editorial that asked a very thought-provoking question. The letter was written to the readers of Better Homes and Gardens magazine by the editor- in-chief, David Jordan. The following is the part that moved me: I sometimes ask myself what “family values” actually means to most of us. The love and nurturing that we give and get from our families, the sacrifices family members willingly make for each other, the powerful loyalty that binds families together, all certainly come under “family values.” Goodness knows, I applaud all of the above. What bothers me are some indications that make me ask, “While we’re all for family values, do we really value families?” If we really value families, why do we, the most wealthy nation on earth, allow an increasing number of our families to become homeless? Don’t we know the benefits to children of a safe, secure family environment? Then why do we allow hundreds of thousands of children to grow up in welfare motels, abandoned buildings, back seats of cars, and other wretched circumstances? Why does one child in every five live below the poverty line? In my mind, Jordan is talking about God’s family. Let me rephrase the question, “While we’re all for God’s family values, do we really value God’s family?” Do we recognize our brother or sister as the struggling poor who are trying to keep a roof over their head; as the woman who paid for her mistakes and is now trying to re-enter society; as the hungry children whose parents cannot afford to feed them by the end of the month; as the school age kids that are embarrassed by their unkempt clothes; as the recovering addict; as the grandmother trying to keep her grandkids from joining gangs; as the migrant worker who toils in fields doing back-breaking work; as the indigent disabled man with the disfiguring disease? Do we really value this family? We should. Raising a family is the most important task that we can ever do. As we close out Poverty Awareness Month, open your hearts to our greater family; open your hearts to life in solidarity by reaching out and lifting someone up. Then, we can truly dwell in the house of the Lord.

Faith Book — Mini-reflections on the Sunday scripture readings designed for persons on the run. “Faith Book” is also brief enough to be posted in the Sunday parish bulletins people take home.

From today’s Isaiah reading: The people who have walked in darkness have seen a great light, upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone.

Reflection: If we have turned to Jesus, as he invites us today, then we are reflectors of his light – we are light bearers. He calls us again to be part of the fulfillment of Isaiah’s promise: to bring light into the darkness, joy for those in gloom and distress.

So, we ask ourselves: As I look around my personal landscape what darkness to I perceive? What can I do to bring light into that darkness, relief to those who are in “a land of gloom?”

Postcards to Death Row Inmates

“One has to strongly affirm that condemnation to the death penalty is an inhuman measure that humiliates personal dignity, in whatever form it is carried out.” — Pope Francis

Inmates on death row are the most forgotten people in the prison system. Each week I am posting in this space several inmates’ names and locations. I invite you to write a postcard to one or more of them to let them know that: we have not forgotten them; are praying for them and their families; or whatever personal encouragement you might like to give them. If the inmate responds, you might consider becoming pen pals.  

Please write to:

Wisezah Buckman #1120630 (On death row since 11/2/2023)
Jonathan Monk #1427917 (3/26/2025)

--Central Prison P.O. 247 Phoenix, MD 21131

Please note: Central Prison is in Raleigh, NC., but for security purposes, mail to inmates is processed through a clearing house at the above address in Maryland. For more information on the Catholic position on the death penalty go to the Catholic Mobilizing Network.

Commentary on Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25

Jesus has been baptised in the Spirit of his Father, and he has triumphed over the temptations of the Evil One during his 40 days in the wilderness. He is now ready to begin his public ministry. When Jesus heard that John had been arrested for accusing Herod of adultery (because Herod had taken his brother’s wife as his own), Jesus withdrew from the region of the Jordan River where he had been with John, and went to the northern province of Galilee where he had grown up. The word translated as ‘arrested’ literally means ‘handed over’, and is an expression that occurs several times in the gospel. It first refers to John the Baptist being ‘handed over’, and then to Jesus being ‘handed over’, first to the leadership of the Jews, and then to the Romans. Later, it will be used of the disciples being ‘handed over’ to various authorities because of their preaching the Gospel. Finally, it is used at every Eucharist (though somewhat lost in our present translation). At the consecration of the bread the celebrant says: This is my Body which will be handed over [given up] for you. Jesus had left Nazareth and his family, and Matthew tells us he went to live in “Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulon and Naphthali”. Capernaum will appear several times in Gospel stories. For Matthew, Jesus’ going there fulfils a Hebrew Testament prophecy: Zebulon and Naphthali, the way to the sea, Galilee of the Gentiles, there the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light…These two territories were the first to be laid waste by the Assyrian invasion in 733 BC. Isaiah promised them a great future that is now being realised. Matthew stretches things a little to fit the prophecy in that, Capernaum was in Naphthali, and the sea mentioned by Matthew is the Sea of Galilee, while in the prophecy it actually refers to the Mediterranean. Jesus’ preaching is summarised in one sentence: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” It is very similar to the message that John the Baptist gave but, coming from Jesus, it is much richer in meaning. John proclaimed the coming of the Kingdom; Jesus himself is the coming of that Kingdom. ‘Repent’ means much more than the meaning we normally give to the word, namely, to regret, to be sorrowful for wrongs we have done. Here it is translated from the Greek word metanoia, which calls for a complete and radical turnaround in the way we see life. It is not concerned with the past but rather with the future. ‘The kingdom of heaven’ does not refer to the future life. It is not saying that we are all imminently about to leave this earth. ‘Heaven’, here, is a euphemism for the name of God, which Matthew writing for Jewish Christians, does not want to use. Among the Jews, God’s name was so holy that it could not be uttered by humans. Rather, the phrase ‘kingdom of heaven’ refers to the effective power of God’s presence here on earth, sometimes called God’s ‘reign’ on earth. And that kingdom is near because it is embodied in the person of Jesus himself. He represents the effective presence of God’s power, and that is seen clearly in the second part of today’s passage. It is the power of love and healing. At this point in Matthew’s gospel he also relates the calling of the first four disciples, those who would be partners with him in the proclamation and the realisation of the Kingdom. But it is omitted in our reading for today. We finish with a summary of the Kingdom work that Jesus was doing. He went all over Galilee, teaching in the Jewish synagogues. His preaching consisted of the proclamation of the nearness of the Kingdom, and that was illustrated graphically by his healing all kinds of sicknesses. Healing means restoration to wholeness, and the goal of the Kingdom is a restoration to wholeness of the whole world. Jesus’ fame even extended to the whole of the Roman Province of Syria, of which Galilee was a part. Large numbers of people came from these places in search of Jesus, and brought to him people suffering from all kinds of sicknesses. In addition to Galilee, they also came from the Decapolis (meaning ‘ten cities’), a federation of Greek cities mainly lying on the east side of the Jordan, from Judaea and its main city Jerusalem, and even from across the Jordan River. It is time now to stop looking back at the Christmas celebrations, and look forward at why Jesus was born and the mission he had to do. Jesus’ coming to Capernaum is the coming of light in darkness. Jesus’ call to repentance is really a call to radical conversion, a turning round completely to face our Lord. In him the Kingdom of Heaven is here among us. That is shown by the work that Jesus does: teaching, announcing the Good News of his coming and healing all kinds of disorders: physical, mental, emotional…May we too experience a deep desire for conversion and also experience the healing power of Jesus in our lives, so that we may also become agents to heal others.

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (A), Jan. 27, 2008 by Daniel J. Harrington, S.J., Professor of New Testament at Weston Jesuit School of Theology in Cambridge, Mass

Readings: Is 8:23-9:3; Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14; 1 Cor 1:10-13; Mt 4:12-23

“The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light”(Mt 4:16)

Why did Peter and Andrew, James and John follow Jesus? According to Matthew’s narrative (and Mark’s), these four fishermen had no prior knowledge of Jesus. While they were at work in Capernaum one day, Jesus came along and said, “Follow me,” and they did. Answering Jesus’ call meant leaving behind their families and businesses for very uncertain futures. Why did they do it? One answer appeals to the literary skill of the Evangelists or their sources. The utter simplicity of the narrative—Jesus calls, and the disciples follow—serves to highlight Jesus’ personal attractiveness and persuasiveness. It leads the reader to imagine how wonderful Jesus must have been to inspire such an immediate and total response on the disciples’ part. While there is much to be said for this interpretation, there may be more to the disciples’ action than that. Today’s reading from Matthew 4 places Jesus’ call of his first disciples in a wider context. It suggests that the first disciples followed Jesus out of hope. Their hope was rooted in the past, looked forward to the future and was based in the present. Matthew prefaces the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry with a quotation from Isaiah: “The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light.” This prophecy was first uttered some 700 years before the time of Jesus. It expressed the hope of a people threatened by powerful political neighbors, looking for some kind of salvation. Isaiah’s prophecy also expressed well the political situation of Israel in Jesus’ time—caught between capitulation to the Romans (and their local supporters) and the promises of greatness made to God’s people. How could these be reconciled? To Jesus’ contemporaries like the four fishermen and to early Christians like Matthew, Jesus seemed to be a light shining in the darkness. They saw Isaiah’s hope being fulfilled before their eyes, a hope rooted in Israel’s past. Before recounting the call of the first disciples, Matthew provides a summary of Jesus’ preaching: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” The kingdom of heaven refers to the future fullness of God’s rule and its acknowledgment by all creation. It is what we pray for when we say, “Hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” This was the central theme of Jesus’ preaching and activity. The first disciples looked forward to experiencing and being part of that glorious future kingdom. Matthew follows the call of the first disciples with a summary of Jesus’ activities: teaching, preaching and healing. In the Gospels these are the ways in which Jesus manifests the presence of God’s kingdom among us. Jesus showed the first disciples how to live in their present with the hope of experiencing the future fullness of God’s kingdom. Their hope was based on the person of Jesus as their light shining in the darkness, their light of hope.

PREPARATION FOR THE SESSION

Adapted from Sacred Space: The Prayer Book 2025

Presence of God: Jesus, As I come to you today, fill my heart, my whole being, with the wonder of your sacred presence. Help me to become more aware of your presence in my life, and more receptive to that presence. I desire to love you as you love me. May nothing ever separate me from you. ( 1-2 minutes of silence)

Freedom: Jesus, Grant me the grace to have freedom of spirit. Keep me from being bound by desires and actions that are not good for me or others. Cleanse my heart and soul that I may live joyously in your love. ( 1-2 minutes of silence)

Consciousness: Where am I with God? With others in my life? What am I grateful for? Is there something I am sorry for, words or actions that have hurt others, and which I now regret? I take a moment to ask forgiveness of God and of those whom I have hurt. God, I give you thanks for your constant love and care for me. Keep me always aware of your presence in my life. (2-3 minutes of silence)

OPENING PRAYER

Jesus, you are calling me to change some aspects of my life that need changing, here and now. Please help me to see where I am in need of change, where I am in need of help, and where I need healing. Give me the openness to the needs of others, ignoring where THEY need to Change—and the openness to acknowledge that their changes are theirs to make. Help me to understand that my mission is to bring the good news of your love to others. This is my call. Give me the determination to follow through on answering that call.

COMPANIONS FOR THE JOURNEY

From a Homily given at Memorial Church in January of 1996, with a nod to Walter Burkhardt, S.J. and Thomas Merton

Picture this: It’s a sunny Saturday afternoon in spring; you’re out washing your car, singing along at the top of your lungs—and off-key, I might add—with the music from your iPod, happy it’s the weekend, maybe thinking about what your plans are for the evening. Along comes this guy on a bicycle, dressed very casually, looking none too prosperous, but respectable. When he stops, you notice that he has sort of an arresting face. His first words to you are: Drop what you are doing and follow me. I need you for my mission. So what do you do? Scenario One says you don’t even turn off the hose or the radio; you don’t say good-bye to your roommate or family; you don’t call in to work and ask for a leave of absence. You don’t write out a request for incompletes in your classes. You drop everything, everything and follow this person you never saw before in your life to God knows where or what. Scenario two says you barely glance at the bicyclist—You snarl over your shoulder without taking your eyes off your car washing: “Get lost, buddy, I gave at the office..” Scenario three says you smile apologetically without making eye contact and mutter: “Sorry fella, not this weekend. I’ve got a midterm on Wednesday. Then you snatch up your bucket and rags and scuttle inside before he can try to make you feel guilty about turning him down. Which scenario reflects my response? I used to think that if I had been there on the shore that day, and Jesus had come up to me and issued his invitation, I would have reacted the same way Peter and his brother did. After all, this was God, right? Wrong, my friends. I don’t think Jesus looked any more like God than you or I do. There was no little halo that hung over his head wherever he went, there was no hypnotic stare that mesmerized the listener, there was no band of angels crooning glorias in the background. This was not the godfather, making them an offer they couldn’t refuse. This was just a dark, dusty, little Jewish man who had a message about the kingdom, and who issued an open-ended invitation they found irresistible: Come and be fishers of people. I think for most of us, the biggest difference between our call and that of the early disciples is that the invitation, the call to be Christ is more subtle and therefore a little more easy to ignore or put on the back burner for a while. It’s all too easy to commit half our hearts. Christian living is not a part time job—there is no cutting corners in this enterprise. It is not enough merely to stay out of mortal sin, to keep our noses clean. If we are content with the minimum then we are part time Christians. A full-time Christian listens to the promptings of the Spirit who speaks within our hearts, within the events of our personal histories, inviting us to make our little world a little bit better here and now—in our families, our dorms and classes, our workplace. These promptings of the spirit inspire us to ask ourselves why we choose a certain career—is it only money or power or prestige, or why we choose a certain mate—is it only sex or dependency or control? One thing to make very clear. I am not called to be a Peter or an Andrew or a Dorothy Day or a Thomas Merton. God already has these people. I am called, however—make no mistake about it—to be uniquely Nancy Greenfield—called within my time and in my circumstances to be the best Nancy Greenfield that I can be. Called to be disciple. Nothing less. What does it mean to be disciple? Very simply, it means to live and preach the good news in my little corner of the universe, in the way that only I can, with the talents and interests that are uniquely mine; it means to risk, if need be, all that I am and all that I have to be disciple. Is this hard? You betcha. Nowhere in the gospels do I hear Jesus say it would be easy. That’s why we need to re-commit each and every day. Like Peter and the others, We really don’t know exactly what this invitation entails. We are simply invited by Christ to come and see where he lives We have some guidelines, though. Matthew tells us in chapter 25 of this gospel where Christ lives.. He lives with the hungry, the thirsty, the homeless, sick, the prisoner, the grieving, the ignorant, the sinners. Each day the call is taking me to something, but the way may not always be clear. There are no road maps, no guaranteed canonization, no sure shot at financial success. We, like those first disciples will know doubts, fears, failure and reward, despair and tremendous excitement when we join Christ in the adventure we call Christian living. And so I ask myself: What was I called to yesterday? Did I respond? What am I being called to today? Do I hear? Finally, I would like to leave you with a poem written by a classmate of mine whose name I don’t even remember, but whose words I read all the time.

In the beginning was the Word.
A Word who must be spoken.
A Word spoken into skies.
and called into hills.
Spoken into rivers and fields
A Word Spoken into life
in flowers
in birds
and in every kind of animal.
A Word spoken with love and breathed into
the heart of man and woman
that they might be ready to hear.
And when the time came that all was in readiness,
The Word was spoken into flesh,
spoken to call his own
out of the darkness and into the light.
To those who would know this Word, he beckoned
and still is beckoning--now--to you.
Come, see where I live;
spend your time with me
Be my own,
Be disciple.
Is the question of the first who followed your question still:
Teacher, where do you live in my world?
The answer they heard is the same,
which, in silence you will know:
Come, I will take you there.
I live within your heart.
Your heart that I have seen,
our heart that I have known
I live there, calling you beyond yourself
Calling you into my own life,
Calling you to the vision of my Father
Calling you to be fishers of people.
Calling you to be disciple.

LIVING THE GOOD NEWS

What action can you take in the next week as a response to today’s reading and discussion? Keep a private journal of your prayer/actions responses this week. Feel free to use the personal reflection questions which follow:

Reflection Questions:

Is there anybody in our time or in the history of the world whose charismatic qualities caused people immediately and unquestioningly follow him or her?
Is this good or bad?

Do I consider myself invited to work with Jesus?
Is my response immediate, or do I lollygag and offer excuses for my slow response, or do I not really respond at all?

Who, in our time, are fishers of men?

What makes Church ministry successful, effective, rewarding?
What makes it difficult, disappointing, or stressful?

Have I ever been invited to join someone in an enterprise which was not very well sketched out?
How did I respond?

Do we need a lot of details/reassurances, back-up plans, safety nets, etc., before we commit to an enterprise?
Was it different for Peter and Andrew?

What part does hope play in the decisions of the first four disciples?
What part does hope play in my decisions?

Does it help to have companions when you are completing a mission or task?

What of God’s “good news” do I bring to others?

What darkness do I perceive in this world?
In what ways has Jesus been a light in the world’s darkness?
In my personal darkness?

Do I bring the light and love of Christ to my little corner of the world?
Do I see myself as called to bring light to the darkness?

What are my gifts (teaching, hospitality, wisdom, knowledge, empathy, healing, kindness, helping, sharing, for example)?
Do I employ them very often?
Do I consider that a form of preaching the “good news”?
Why or why not?

What are some cop-outs we employ to avoid taking a risk on Jesus and the kingdom: “not good enough, not smart enough, not brave enough, not charismatic enough, just an ordinary person with no gifts, no talent for this kind of work?”
Do I employ any?

What are some obstacles in my life which keep me from following Jesus?

What does it mean: The Kingdom of God is at hand?

The command to “repent” means to change your mind, to change your attitude, to change your life, because the kingdom of God is at hand.
What do I need to change in my life to be more a part of The Kingdom?

Describe a time when I was called to change something in my life.
What was the impetus?
How did I respond?
Was it difficult?

Do I follow Jesus?
Why?

CLOSING PRAYER

Don’t forget to provide some prayer time at the beginning and at the end of the session (or both), allowing time to offer prayers for anyone you wish to pray for.

Please help me to open myself to the light of your love and your goodness. Help me, Lord to see the dark little corners of another’s life where I might bring some light and hope. Help me to be non-judgmental, not to offer unwarranted advice or slick solutions to some very complex issues that people are facing. Help me to be kind, understanding and PRESENT to the needs of this world and those around me.

FOR THE WEEK AHEAD

Weekly Memorization

Taken from the gospel for today’s session….
Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.

Meditations

A Meditation in the Dominican Style/Asking Questions: Each of us, through our baptism, is called to announce Jesus’ presence in the world. At our baptism we were called “prophets.” What does that mean for me? Have there been experiences in my life through which the Spirit was speaking to me? Did I listen? How do you expect to hear the Lord’s voice? It is a question worth asking at this Eucharist, “How and where am I called to announce ‘the kingdom of heaven is at

hand?’” We may not do it from pulpits or at public gatherings, but in one way or another, each of us must bring light to people who “sit in gloom” and are “overshadowed by death.” We are to be signs of reassurance to people who may feel forgotten. As a person in the scripture group put it, through us, people will know that God has seen their need and come to help them. The disciples heard the call and immediately left things behind. What must we leave as we respond to Jesus’ invitation to announce the presence of God’s kingdom? ---old ways of thinking? possessions? plans? familiar surroundings? security? Even if we never pack up and take to the road, as the first disciples did, we still must make changes, if we have heard and accepted Jesus’ call. Once again, we need to ask Christ to show us what changes we must make so that, like the first disciples, we can follow him and be his instruments of proclamation. Yes, we already are his followers, nevertheless, we need to hear afresh and respond again to his call. “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.” So, how shall we preach that “the kingdom of heaven is near” this week? As co-workers and students we could be less competitive and more cooperative; as friends or family members we could be more willing to listen to what others are saying; we could respond to people’s request for help; we could treat all people, regardless of race, gender, economic status and education with acceptance and dignity. The bottom line, in light of today’s scriptures might be: In a world where there is gloom, how can I, with Jesus’ help, be “a light to the nations?”

A Meditation in the Ignatian Style/Imagination: Wouldn’t you have loved to be the fly on the wall when Peter went home and told his wife that he was going to stop fishing for fish and going to start fishing for people? “YOU’RE GOING TO WHAT?????” Imagine that you are the wife of Peter, who depends on his earnings as a fisherman to keep the household going financially. Are you afraid? Angry? Sad? Try also to imagine what was going through the minds and hearts of each of these four disciples as they considered the invitation from Jesus. Then put yourself in the actual event as each one told his loved ones that he was leaving—or did not do so. As romantic as this gospel story seems, it can't have been easy for the disciples and their loved ones to give up their old way of life embrace this new enterprise. The fact that they did so is an indication of their openness to God’s call and their willingness to change. They had the generosity of spirit to enter into this enterprise with all their hearts, with all their energy, with all their love. Christian living is not a part time job-- there is no cutting corners in this enterprise. It is not enough merely to stay out of mortal sin, to keep our noses clean. If we are content with the minimum then we are part time Christians. A full-time Christian listens to the promptings of the Spirit who speaks within our hearts, within the events of our personal histories, inviting us to make our little world a little bit better here and now--our families, our dorms and classes, our workplace. These promptings of the spirit inspire you and me to ask what God wants for our lives. Am I afraid of what the answer might be? What am I willing to give up to answer God’s call?(inspired by Walter Burghardt, S.J.)

Music Meditations:
(All are on YouTube)

The Summons-John Bell
In Christ Alone-strongbow27
Be Thou My Vision-Nathan Pacheco
Jesus-Chris Tomlin

Poetic Reflection: (Taken from the Commentary for 3 Sunday A) I Ask myself the following, then read the following poem written by an unknown woman religious. What was I called to yesterday? Did I respond? What am I being called to today? Do I hear?

In the beginning was the Word.
A Word who must be spoken.
A Word spoken into skies.
and called into hills.
Spoken into rivers and fields
A Word Spoken into life
in flowers
in birds
and in every kind of animal.
A Word spoken with love and breathed into
the heart of man and woman
that they might be ready to hear.
And when the time came that all was in readiness,
The Word was spoken into flesh,
spoken to call his own
out of the darkness and into the light.
To those who would know this Word, he beckoned
and still is beckoning—now—to you.
Come, see where I live;
spend your time with me
Be my own,
Be disciple.
Is the question of the first who followed your question still:
Teacher, where do you live in my world?
The answer they heard is the same,
which, in silence you will know:
Come, I will take you there.
I live within your heart.
Your heart that I have seen,
Your heart that I have known
I live there, calling you beyond yourself
Calling you into my own life,
Calling you to the vision of my Father
Calling you to be fishers of people.
Calling you to be disciple.