The Beginning of Jesus’ Ministry

The Beginning of Jesus’ Ministry

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Mt 4: 12 – 23

Introduction

Today’s Gospel presents to us the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry in Galilee. There, Jesus calls his first disciples and begins his ministry of preaching and healing.

The Gospel

¹² Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. ¹³ He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, ¹⁴ so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

¹⁵ “Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
    on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
¹⁶ the people who sat in darkness
    have seen a great light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death
    light has dawned.” ¹⁷ From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

¹⁸ As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. ¹⁹ And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” ²⁰ Immediately they left their nets and followed him. ²¹ As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. ²² Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him. ²³ Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.

Reflection

Today’s reading comes from Matthew’s account of the beginning of our Lord’s public ministry. Matthew begins with the news of John the Baptist’s arrest. The news about the Baptist’s arrest serves as a foreboding omen which seems to tell us that there was something wrong; John the Baptist who stood out to preach God’s message of repentance was now in trouble with those in power. This was apparently, Matthew’s way of saying that there was something evil creeping in the land. Silencing someone righteous, like John the Baptist was not good news.  

Matthew further describes this dark and gloomy reality enveloping the land by citing a passage from the prophet Isaiah, saying: “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles… those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death…”  

Zebulun and Naphtali were the ancient names of territories given to the descendants of Zebulun and Naphtali - two of Jacob’s sons. In time, these territories became part of what was then called Galilee, the northern part of Israel. This region was called Galilee of the Gentiles because non-Jews (or Gentiles) lived on the eastern portion of this region. The presence, however, of non-Jews didn’t go well with many Jews who considered them not only as outsiders but also religiously unclean.  

Behind this background of oppression and arrest within the context of a region surrounded by gentiles, Matthew introduces Jesus as the light that shines in this dark and gloomy terrain. He is the light dawning upon “the people who sat in darkness overshadowed by death. “ It is interesting to see that Jesus chose to begin his ministry here and not in Jerusalem, the holy city of God. For Matthew who portrayed Jesus as one who was in the company of sinners, Galilee of the Gentiles would have been the perfect place where Jesus would have begun his ministry; Galilee was the place of the unrighteous gentiles; the place far and remote from Jerusalem; the place where perhaps God was not known and not adored by many.  

Interestingly, right after Matthew introduces Jesus as the light, he immediately writes about how Jesus called his first disciples. There is something unusual and striking about this narrative. As soon as Jesus invites his first disciples who were there by the lakeside, they immediately leave everything to follow him, as though compelled by some mysterious force. The speed at which the first disciples responded to Jesus’ call was simply unbelievable. Their decisiveness in leaving everything to follow Jesus was intriguing. What made them decide so quickly and leave everything to follow Jesus without much thought and consideration? The only thing that Jesus promised them, after all, was that he would make them fishers of men. How did such promise entice them? 

The key, perhaps to understand the disciples’ quick and decisive choice to follow Jesus was the way Matthew arranged this passage. Jesus was introduced by Matthew as the light that shines in the darkness. When light pierces the darkness, that light becomes so attractive when seen against a backdrop of darkness. One gets drawn to its brilliance; this is similar to the bright light that lures fishes on a dark still lake. The first disciples must have been quickly attracted to the person of Jesus; they must have been attracted by his pure radiance that simply mesmerized them. Or was it perhaps that the darkness that surrounded his first disciples allowed them to see the light in Jesus? The greater the darkness we are in, the better that we see the light. Those who are in the dark have a better appreciation of the light because they themselves do not want to remain in darkness.

But all that Matthew was telling us was that Jesus, as the light shinning in the dark, attracts and draws people so intensely that people were able to decide quickly to follow him and leave everything behind. With his short and brief narrative about the call of Jesus’ first disciples, Matthew, was telling us that leaving everything for Jesus, was all worth it and would have been the best decision one would have made in one’s life.

Today’s gospel looks and sounds simple. But it is laden with so much meaning for us who are too familiar with the ways of darkness. To allow Jesus to shine in our life and quickly respond to his invitation to come and follow him is probably the greatest thing that could  ever happen to us. Let us ask the Lord the grace to gaze on his light that we may be compelled to follow him and happily leave everything else behind.

Prayer

Lord, keep shining through my life that you may dispel the dark and gloom that surrounds me. Draw me to your light, Jesus, that I may quickly and decisively leave everything behind to follow you more closely and love you more dearly. Amen.

“The Lord is my Light and my Salvation” – Psalm 27: 1