His Word Gives Light and Joy!

(Homily 3^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Yr-A)

Sunday For The Word Of God!

          The readings of this Sunday reveal the fulfillment and realization of the messianic prophecies in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. This is the overriding theme that will characterize the readings of the Sundays in ordinary time before the Lenten season. We are going to see Jesus at the beginning of his public ministry and preaching. Today we hear the great proclamation of light and joy made possible by Jesus. The Word of God is a source of joy and light. Little wonder, the two recurred in the first and Gospel readings. By coming into the world Jesus did not just come to forgive our sins, but he brought a great light and joy through his gracious words and mighty deeds. In that bid, today the first reading from the Old Testament contains the prophecy and the Gospel contains the realization of that prophecy, because God is faithful to his Word. Again, true conversion is the theme that amalgamates the readings of this Sunday. In the Gospel passage, Jesus started his preaching saying: “Repent”. The Good News (the Word) is at the basis of Jesus’ ministry. On the other hand, when conversion or repentance to the Gospel of Jesus Christ has not penetrated totally in a person, when it is superficial, there will be divisions and discord as it happened in the Corinthian community. And there cannot be an authentic and thorough conversion without the aid of God’s Word.

          Today is a special day in the life of the Church and in our experiences as Christians, for this Sunday has recently been dedicated to the celebration, study and dissemination of the Word of God, for the purpose of reawakening our faith in God and our consciousness in the power of God’s Word. Pope Francis in his Apostolic Letter, Motu Proprio: “Aperuit illis” published on the (feast of St. Jerome) 30th of September, 2019 established this. We really need to go back to our spiritual source as Christians that is returning to the origin: The Word of God. We need to rediscover the power and efficacy of God’s Word in the life and mission of the Church and in the life of every single Christian. In the words of St. Jerome, “Ignorance of the scripture is ignorance of Christ” and it is indeed true! We cannot boast of knowing Jesus without a profound knowledge and attachment to the Word of God. The Word of God is for us a spiritual eye-opener and mind-opener. We remember vividly the episode of Jesus and his disciples after His resurrection, on the way to Emmaus, where the Risen Lord opened the eyes and minds of his disciples through the Word of God (Lk. 24:27.31). Jesus in so many ways continues to open not only our eyes and minds but also our hearts through the Word.  

          The first reading (Is. 9:1-4) from the prophecy of Isaiah starts with reference to the land of Zebulun and Naphtali and Galilee of the nations, that is, the Gentiles. Isaiah prophesied to the Galileans deported from Tiglat-Pileser III in 732 a.C. They were heart broken and discomforted in exile. And to them the Prophet announced a sudden light coming to dissipate the darkness shrouding them, that is the end of slavery and the return to their own land in joy galore. In this episode is condensed the promise for all mankind, who decries for her existential conditions many a times dominated by evil and all kinds of slavery. This humanity overburdened by the weight of her own experiences of injustice, suppression and oppression will one day see a great light and an abundant joy. Indeed, to say it with Isaiah: “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light, on the inhabitants of a country in shadow dark as death light has blazed forth. You have enlarged the nation; you have increased its joy” (Is. 9:1-2). Indeed, just as it is suggestive of our general theme this Sunday, it is the Word of God proclaimed through the prophet that brought light and joy to the people of Israel. In the words of the Psalmist: “your word is a lamp for my step, a light on my path” (Ps. 119:105).

          The Gospel periscope (Mt. 4:12-23) presents the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee. Jesus began his ministry by proclaiming Good News (God’s Word) of light and joy. At the heart of this ministry is Jesus’ call to repentance for the nearness of the kingdom of heaven, the calling of his disciples and the performance of healing miracles. The Word of God produces effects and transforms. In this passage Mathew underlines the universality of the Good News, for it did not begin from the Judean territory, but in the Galilee of the Gentiles, as such the Good News is for all men. We need to disseminate the Word to every corner of the earth and to every corner of the human heart. And the Church is called to continue this universal mission of Christ, which he began in Galilee. Jesus began his ministry with a proposal which in reality is his program of evangelization: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”. Christ came to preach and to inaugurate the Kingdom of God among men, but he was convinced that the Kingdom begins from the heart of men when they embark on a journey of conversion, made possible through God’s Word. Conversion means recognizing that you are walking on a wrong path, and surmounting courage to abandon the wrong path and take resolutely the right path. His Word is indeed a lamp! Conversion has to do with changing of direction, with a shifting of position. It is basically about a positive change. The Word of God faithfully welcomed leads to conversion.

          A little while after his baptism Jesus comes to Capharnaum, in Galilee of the Gentiles, the very region that saw a multitude of the Jews taken in exile. As St. Mathew narrates in the Gospel, the presence of Jesus in that place serves as the ‘yes’ of God to the ancient prophecy, to fulfill what was written by prophet Isaiah. Jesus is the great light that sprouts for humanity. He confirmed this when he said: “I am the light of the world” (Jn. 8:12). What does light mean here? It means way, truth and life. He is the way, the truth and the life” (Jn. 14:6). He is the way and the truth for he guarantees success to our spiritual journey and he enlightens our path. For this the Psalmist says: “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (Ps.119:105). The knowledge and practice of the Word brings enlightenment. In Jesus the eternal Word, light and life often go together, Jesus says: “anyone who follows me will not be walking in darkness, but will have the light of life” (Jn.8:12). There is light in both the incarnate and written Word of God.

          He is also joy or better he brings joy. When Jesus was born, it was announced by the angel thus: “I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people” (Lk. 2:10). He is indeed, the joy to be shared by the whole people. In fact, his whole existence seems to be condensed in these words pronounced a night before his death: “I have told you this so that my own joy may be in you and your joy be complete” (Jn. 15:11), “Ask and you will receive, and so your joy will be complete” (Jn. 16:24). The word “Gospel” also means Good News, that is a message of happiness and joy. Jesus says “I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full” (Jn. 10:10), and of course, joy is in connection with life, the fullness of life, which Jesus has come to inaugurate on earth. St. Paul also entered the dynamics of joy when he invited the disciples: “Always be joyful, then in the Lord; I repeat, be joyful” (Phil. 4:4). For the sake of Jesus’ presence the Christian existence ought to be an existence of joy irrespective of the odds and challenges. Permit me to say that a sad Christian is a bad Christian. It is either that we are joyful or the Good News of Christ has not permeated into the inner recesses of our being! Instead we have to be like those coming back from harvest, full of joy, singing and carrying the sheaves (cf. Ps. 126:6). We have to be witnesses to the world of the light and joy that come from the incarnate and written Word of God. Even in the midst of the modern forms of slavery we are facing today, the word of God in the book of Nehemiah is our propelling force: “The joy of the Lord is our strength” (Neh. 8:10). The joy of the Lord emanates from His Word!

         The second part of the Gospel is quite thrilling. There we see Peter and his brother Andrew, fishermen already established in their career. They were making their daily catch and sales. They must have had regular customers who depended on them for the fish they consume. Lo and behold, one day Jesus appeared, he looked at them and said: “The kingdom of heaven is at hand, come follow me” And there and then, they dropped their fishing nets, their means of livelihood, and followed him. Again he met two others: James and John the sons of Zebedee, and upon Jesus invitation they left their boat and father and followed Jesus. The Word is so powerful; little wonder this first group of disciples could not resist the invitation of Jesus. God’s Word is invitatory! The two sets of disciples symbolically abandoned all the tools of their old business, thus ready for a ‘new career’ that Jesus was going to show them. God calls in different ways, for a particular task. But the response of these first four disciples was immediate and total. That is how our own responses too to God’s call have to be. Jesus said to Peter and his brother Andrew, “Come, I will make you fishers of men”. Jesus called them for something greater and better: “fishers of men”. Indeed, God’s call opens up new horizon. It introduces one into the dynamics of freedom, freedom from and freedom for, freedom from the work of a fisherman to freedom for the work of fisher of men. God still continues to call us in various ways and circumstances of our life, and when He calls us, He wants us to liberate ourselves from all that may hinder us from giving a total response to His call, in order to be free for the demands of his Word and call. What is our own reaction when we hear his Words addressed to us? The sacred author gave us words of encouragement thus: “Today if you hear His words harden not your hearts” (Heb. 3:15; Ps.95:7b-8a).

          Jesus knew that he will die and return to the Father. At the same time he knew that he was sent to all in order to proclaim the Word and invite everyone to conversion. Given that he cannot do it personally all alone, he chose some disciples, some followers who will help him in disseminating the Word of God and preaching conversion to the whole world, with the power of the Holy Spirit. Today he continues to call us through his Word to be partakers in this great task of catching men and women for God. The Word of God is ever alive and active, capable of really catching and attracting men and women for God. Our celebration of the Word of God today, is indeed in line with Jesus’ invitation for the dissemination of the Word.   

          In the second reading (1Cor. 1:10-13.17) St. Paul brings to light the most nagging issue in the Corinthian Church, and that is dissension. Little wonder, the apostle began with an appeal to them thus: “I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissension among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment” (v.10). The issue here bothers on a split into cliques, each group claiming the patronage of and belongingness to one of the great leaders of the Church: “every one of you is declaring, ‘I belong to Paul’ or ‘I belong to Apollos’ or ‘I belong to Cephas’ or ‘I belong to Christ” (v. 12). Paul responded to their dissension and division into groups by reminding them the foundation of their Baptism in the name of Christ. As such, dissension among Christians is a sort of denial of the baptismal reality that makes us one. He reminded them that they are baptized in the name of Christ and not in the name of any human leader whatsoever. We too need to break down barriers. And the Word of God faithfully and convincingly accepted does that great work. The Word of God has a formidable force of uniting believers.

          Today more than ever, we need to rediscover the centrality of the Word of God in our life as Christians. There is indeed power in the Word of God. Jesus says: “The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life” (Jn. 6:63). Indeed, the Word of God gives life and enlightenment, a great tool for discernment. The Word of God is eternal; “Sky and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (Lk.21:33; Mt. 24:35). And Isaiah in his prophecy says putting words in the mouth of God thus “So it is with the word that goes from my mouth: it will not return to me unfilled or before having carried out my good pleasure and having achieved what it was sent to do” (Is. 55:11). The Word of God is powerful. Jeremiah says: “is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces” (Jer. 23:29). The Word of God penetrates every situation and every heart even the hardest ones! When you pray through the Word, and stand on the word something happens. When we pray God’s Word over a situation, we cannot fail, because his Word cannot fail. His Words bring healing: “he sent forth his word and cured them, and rescued their life from the abyss” (Ps.107:20), we obtain healing through his Word. Take the power of his Word now…

          We need to establish a constant contact with the Word of God, we are called to create a space for It in our lives. For this Jesus says: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for whatever you please and you will get it” (Jn. 15:7). To accurately discern and pray the Word, we must abide in Him; this indeed is basic and the first step. There is power praying through God’s Word, power to obtain whatever that we may ask. We need to abide in the Word. Elsewhere the Scripture says: “Let these words of mine remain in your heart and in your soul; fasten them in your heart and in your soul; fasten them  on your hand as a sign and on your forehead as a headband” (Deut. 11:18). Here, we can talk about positive possession by the Word of God. The Psalmist says: “Your word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Ps. 119:11), when we form the habit of praying through God’s Word, His Word inhabits in us, and empowers us to overcome sin.

          Above all, in the words of Mons. R. Fisichella: “This Sunday, he (Pope Francis) wants to stimulate all Christians not just to place the bible on the shelf as one of many books perhaps filled with dust, but as an instrument that awakens our faith”. On this day and beyond we are invited to enthrone the Word of God at the center of our hearts and life and not just on the shelves and maybe very close to our pillows on the bed. As the Word of God today calls our attention to conversion, we need to bear in mind that conversion has a beginning, but it ends with life. Conversion is a long and continuous process, which one continues to interiorize with the passage of time, the help of the action of divine grace and a constant contact with the Word of God. No doubt, the Word of God is a veritable tool of and for conversion. A Christian must live daily in and with the attitude of conversion, and this consciousness can only be created by the Word of God. Today, as we celebrate the Word of God, Jesus invites all, children, youth, adults, everyone according to his or her possibility and condition to reflect over our lives, and to change direction whereby we are not on the right track and path. He is inviting us to let the Word of God in, to allow the Word of God to permeate into our lives. Jesus is inviting us to take the path and the direction that leads to Life, where there is everlasting Light and Joy, for the Word of God brings light and joy. God, who is faithful to his Word, is ever ready to grant us the grace of conversion, in an active experience of his gratuitous mercy and infinite love. May we prayerfully join our voices to that of the psalmist in imploring God: “God, create in me a clean heart, renew within me a resolute spirit” (Ps. 51:10).

(Fr. Vitus M.C. Unegbu, SC)