Cycle A - Year I:  

22 January 2023: Third Sunday in Ordinary Time 

(Liturgical Color: Green)

Readings:

First Reading:        Isaiah 8:23--9:3

Second Reading:   1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17

Gospel:  Please Read  Matthew 4:12-23 

"The kingdom of heaven is at hand."

The liturgy takes us back to Ordinary Time after a series of solemnities or special feasts in the observance of the Christmas Season. And this Sunday is the third in Ordinary Time.

St. Matthew is the evangelist for this Sunday. He writes: Jesus begins His public ministry in Galilee when He heard that John the Baptist has been arrested by authorities. Our Lord begins to preach about the kingdom, picking up from John's message of repentance. He tells His listeners to repent and believe in the good news of God's kingdom: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Mt 4:17)   

Jesus challenges His followers to repent and change direction and priorities in life. Repentance requires a life-change and a transformation of heart and mind. It is not just turning away from the old sinful ways but more on turning to a new life by believing in the good news of the Gospel. Through repentance the human person finds true liberation -- freedom from the wages of sin and the discovery of authentically integrated life in Christ.

What is the Good News that Jesus came to proclaim?  It is the good news of peace (which means restoration of our relationship with God), the good news of hope in the resurrection  and heaven, the good news of truth (because God's word is true and reliable!), the good news of promise and rewards for those who seek Him, the good news of immortality (because God gives everlasting life!), and the good news of salvation (meaning, liberty from sin and freedom to live as sons and daughters of the almighty God.)

The second part of the Gospel narrates how Jesus calls His first recruits as apostles. They were ordinary fishermen in the Sea of Galilee casting their nets into the sea: Simon who is later called Peter, and his brother Andrew, and two other brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee.  Jesus calls them: "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." (Mt. 4:19)  And they immediately left their boat and their father, without question, and followed Jesus.

In the same way by our baptism, we, too, are called to continue the mission that Jesus began in Galilee with a handful of apostles.  Through our authentic Christian living we proclaim the good news of God's kingdom in our time by becoming witnesses of God's love, especially for the poor and the suffering people in our midst.  Let us heed Jesus' call to repentance and follow Him without question.

Trivia: A short refresher on the Church's liturgical calendar of Ordinary Time. It is that part of the yearly cycle of 33 or 34 weeks in which no particular aspect of the mystery of Christ is celebrated. Instead, the focus is on the mystery of Christ in all its fullness. The liturgical color of the priest's vestments and the altar cloth changes to Green.

A blessed Sunday to us all. And thank you for the moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!