From Darkness to Light . . . 3rd Sunday Ordinary Time
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The events of Zebulun and Naphtali prophesied by Isaiah relate to our contemporary lives in many ways. As we read this text, let us always remind ourselves of our own experiences of anguish and darkness, when the Lord’s light came to shine upon us at their end.
During our times of suffering caused by the loss of loved ones, betrayal of close friends, job loss, financial difficulties, children on drugs, divorce, lawsuits and endless other events, may we always recall when our God was there to intervene for us with his light.
As Isaiah prophesied an era of new hope for the oppressed people of Zebulun and Naphtali, Christ went to this region some 700 years later to start his mission. It was here where his light was needed the most to uplift the mixed cultures of pagans, Jews and gentiles.
It is through the darkness where Jesus goes first. It is where he will go to dispel the darkness in the most needed centers of our lives. And the more we rely on God’s precious word and the holy Eucharist, the more we'll strengthen our faith in his light during our darkest times.
Matthew’s Gospel tells us that Jesus was definitely the light with Peter, Andrew, James and John. From this lowly region of Zebulun and Naphtali, he hired men who became the foundation of his ever-present church. He didn’t choose his people by worldly standards, castes or social status, but by their open and natural hearts.
And God can do the same for us. If he seems to be inviting us to begin a new direction in our lives, away from its darkness and into his light, let us pray for the openness to accept his invitation. There may well be ways in which he is calling us right now to follow him in some radical way, just as he did with those four ordinary day-by-day fishermen.
Or if not so radical, perhaps to a calling similar to that of St. Paul with the Corinthians. Could we be a modern-day Paul in a virtual modern-day Corinth? Could we be the one to challenge the fragmentation of our modern-day communities who take pride in their divided religions and beliefs.
All of us, as Paul reminds the Corinthians, are saved by Jesus Christ and by His death on the Cross. We were all baptized in Him and must strive to build unity among us all.
(For more reflections on the Sunday Readings, Go Here)
