{"id":3118,"date":"2020-01-26T11:37:51","date_gmt":"2020-01-26T16:37:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/?p=3118"},"modified":"2020-01-26T11:37:51","modified_gmt":"2020-01-26T16:37:51","slug":"3rd-sunday-in-ordinary-time-year-a-homily-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/3rd-sunday-in-ordinary-time-year-a-homily-2\/","title":{"rendered":"3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

3rd<\/sup> Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
I<\/a>saiah 8:23 – 9:3
Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14 (1a)
1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17
Matthew 4:12-23
January 26, 2020<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As John is\narrested, Jesus begins his public ministry. \nHearing of John\u2019s arrest, Jesus \u201cwithdrew\nto Galilee<\/em>\u201d but we should not take his withdrawing as an act of fear.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

His\nwithdrawing to \u201cthe region of Zebulun and\nNaphtali<\/em>\u201d actually fulfills <\/em><\/strong>prophecies from Isaiah,\nthus showing that Jesus is the messiah, the one the people have been waiting\nfor.  He is the \u201cgreat light<\/em>\u201d that had been foretold.  They should listen to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Listen to him\ndoing what?  Matthew continues, \u201cFrom that time on, Jesus began to preach<\/strong>.<\/em>\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, the\nfirst thing Jesus did was \u201cpreach<\/em>\u201d.  Our gospel passage today ends, \u201cHe went around all of Galilee, teaching<\/strong> in their synagogues, proclaiming<\/strong> the gospel of the kingdom,\nand curing<\/strong> every disease and illness\namong the people.<\/em>\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus did\nmany great things.  If you ask people\nwhat Jesus did, the Crucifixion likely would be the first answer.  The second answer might likely be miracles\nbut it is preaching, preaching the Word of God, that he did first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why did He\npreach the Word of God?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To fulfill\nthe first reading.  Isaiah speaks of\nthose living in darkness to whom \u201ca light\nhas shone.<\/em>\u201d  God is the one who\ncreated light at the beginning of time as we know it.  God brought light to the world.  Now, Jesus brings us \u201clight\u201d in preaching the\n\u201cWord of God.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\n\u201cdarkness\u201d that is \u201cthe yoke that burdens<\/em>\u201d\nus can come in many forms.  It might be\nillness.  It might be losing our\nhome.  Think of the Israelites taken away\nin the Babylonian Exile.  Think of\nimmigrants today who move from one country of another just trying to provide\nfor their families.  In offering us the\nWord of God, Jesus offers us the \u201clight\u201d that smashes \u201cthe yoke that burdens<\/em>\u201d us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How is the\nWord of God \u201clight\u201d for us?  How does the\n\u201cWord of God\u201d give us what we need to \u201cwait\nfor the LORD with courage<\/em>\u201d as our \u201crefuge<\/em>\u201d?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Picture\nyourself in a room that you have never been in before.  It is dark. \nMaybe you see some shapes but you can\u2019t tell what they are.  Is it safe to move?  You don\u2019t know what direction to move\nin.  You don\u2019t know what dangers there\nare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suddenly, a\nlight comes on and you can see everything. \nYou see a hole in the floor and you know to go around it.  You can see your way to the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The light\nchanged the way you see things.  So, it\nis when we read and\/or hear the Word of God. \nIt changes the way we see things. \nWe can\u2019t find our way on our own. \nJesus leads us with his light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without God\u2019s\nWord, we each go our own way.  Instead of\nunity, there are divisions and rivalries. \nThis is not what we are created for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul calls us\nto be \u201cunited in the same mind and in the\nsame purpose<\/em>.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whose \u201cmind\u201d\nand whose \u201cpurpose\u201d?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Am I the one\nwho is right?  Or is it you?  What about Bob or Jane?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is to\nbring us together to the same mind and purpose?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is the\nWord of God that can bring us to the same mind and purpose, but it is not my\nmind or purpose or yours.  It is\nGod\u2019s.  What do we pray in the Lord\u2019s\nPrayer? \u201cThy will be done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

God\u2019s Word helps\nbring the unity to which we are called.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus, it is\nessential for us to know God\u2019s Word.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With this in\nmind, Pope Francis recently declared that the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time be\ncelebrated every year as the \u201cSunday of the Word of God\u201d for us to reflect on\nthe importance of the Bible and God\u2019s Word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Catholics\nhave a reputation for not knowing the Bible. \nMost Catholics can\u2019t quote the Bible like some evangelicals.  That doesn\u2019t mean that God\u2019s Word isn\u2019t\nimportant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is.  Half our Mass is centered on the Word of God\nwith readings from both the Old and Testaments, a total of three readings plus\na psalm.  The homily is meant to help us\nknow what God\u2019s Word means for us in our lives today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the\nprayers for Mass at Mass are rooted in the Bible.  Our current translations better reflect\nthis.  For instance, at the beginning of\nMass, I say, \u201cThe Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the\ncommunion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.\u201d \nThis verse is not \u201cmade up\u201d by the church.  You can find it in Paul\u2019s letters.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In last\nweek\u2019s gospel, we heard John the Baptist say, \u201cBehold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world<\/em>.\u201d  We hear these words at every Mass at\nCommunion time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bible\nvery much influences our prayers at Mass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Likewise, our\nchurch teaching is formed by the Word of God. \nIf you look at the footnotes in the Catechism\nof the Catholic Church<\/em>, you will find many scriptural references.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Catholics,\ndo we read the Bible on our own?  For\nmany, the answer is no.  Catholics used\nto be told not to read the Bible on their own for fear they might misinterpret\nit.  That changed in 1943 when Pope Pius\nXII wrote an encyclical called Divino\nAfflante Spiritu<\/em>, encouraging study of the Bible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What do you\ndo outside of Mass to let the light of the Word of God shine in your life?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year AIsaiah 8:23 – 9:3Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14 (1a)1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17Matthew 4:12-23January 26, 2020 As John is arrested, Jesus begins his public ministry.  Hearing of John\u2019s arrest, Jesus \u201cwithdrew to Galilee\u201d but we should not take his withdrawing as an act of fear.  His withdrawing to \u201cthe region of …<\/p>\n

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