Gospel: Mt 4:12-23
When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen. From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.
He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
At once they left their nets and followed him. He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him. 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.
Homily
Moving house is always a bit traumatic, because we are leaving the familiar and entering into a state and period of uncertainty. There is uncertainty about neighbours, the easiest way to get to our workplace, the effect of the new environment on our family etc. This uncertainty will affect us rather negatively unless our moving house has a goal and purpose behind it.
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We are told that Jesus left the security of his home in Nazareth and settled in “Capernaum, a lakeside town on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali.” We are not told that he visited; we are told that he settled. He took up permanent residence. It was a deliberate choice that Jesus made. We are also told that this was a border country. It lay between the lands of the Israelites and Canaanites, two warring nations. And it was between these two warring peoples, sworn enemies of each other, that Jesus began to proclaim his message that “the kingdom of heaven was close at hand.” This kingdom of Justice peace and love was now available to these warring nations if they repented. No wonder the passage says “The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light; on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death a light has dawned.” If they wanted these peoples now had a way out of the darkness and the violence in word and action that comes with hatred and mistrust. Here Jesus was really “taking away the sin of the world”. As always however this depended on a change of heart (repentance) among the people concerned
As we reflect on the state of families and communities, political parties and country and indeed the world, we recognize the many warring factions, and the border country that exists between them, and it is to these border countries that we are called as imitators of Jesus to take up residence so that we can proclaim Jesus’ message of a Kingdom of Justice, peace and love that is available if only we can change our way of thinking. Taking up residence in the “border countries” in imitation of Jesus Christ, may mean different things in different circumstances. Between warring communities, it may mean actively taking on the role of peace makers; between political parties, it may mean getting people to understand and accept that politics is about seeking the common good and therefore trying to build structures which truly facilitate an understanding of and the building the common good. It also means doing everything possible so that persons have a change of heart i.e. repent. This repentance only comes about in the measure that trust is built between persons.
This proclamation is not only by word however. A big part of the proclamation is the building of trust which is the prelude to harmony. We often see in the Gospels that non-Jews trusted Jesus because he went out of his way to treat the pagans or non-Jews with love and mercy and often held them up as examples of faith. In other words what Jesus proclaimed by word, he ratified by deeds. We too have to proclaim by example that it is possible to live in peace and harmony with those who may be different from us, in thinking and in ways of acting and those whom the majority of the society may vilify. By our lives we must prove that trust is possible. For us imitators of Jesus, this is not an option, it is an imperative.
A look at the lives of the saints will tell us that it is possible to live like Jesus did, taking away the sin of the world. It is possible to be peacemakers. It is possible to build trust among persons who are normally enemies of each other. When this happens the Kingdom of God begins to appear amongst us.
Prayer
All powerful and ever-loving God, your vision for the world as proclaimed and lived by Jesus once fired the hearts of men and women who then gave their time and energy to making this vision a reality. We your disciples need a new conviction in our minds and a new fire in our hearts so that we be able to give time and energy to making this vision known throughout our world. Let your Spirit give this conviction to our minds and put this fire in our hearts so that like the great saints of yesteryear we may make your vision known and lived. We ask this through the intercession of Mary, our Mother and your Son Jesus. Amen
