Matthew 4:12-23 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time January 22, 2023 Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him.

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Isaiah 8:23, 9:3
1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17
Matthew 4:12-23

A. Text/Context
• We have just heard from the gospel of Matthew that Jesus has already began his ministry and recruited his first 4 disciples: Peter, Andre, James and John
• During this period of time John, the Baptist was already in prison waiting for his death
• When John the Baptist made an exit, Jesus came into the scene to begin his ministry of salvation and so there is a continuity
• Jesus is now preaching about repentance, forgiveness, he performs, healings and exorcisms, doing awesome miracles that leave a lasting impression upon the believers
• The passage from the prophet Isaiah was mentioned in the gospel that the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light
• Jesus is now the light of the people darkened by sin. The prophecy of Isaiah is now fulfilled

B. Human Situation
• The Jews are the chosen people of God in the OT and in the NT Jesus has expanded his own people so that it already includes all the people of the world
• The new chosen people of God are now all the inhabitants living in this planet
• The Jews constantly violated the commandments of God and God would always send a prophet to remind them to go back to God until John the Baptist came and the same thing happened John was killed
• And even the Son of God was not spared by the wrath of the unbelievers, just like all the prophets Jesus also ended up in death through the crucifixion
• God has never abandoned us, that God will never abandon us. It is already proven throughout history that if the people experienced a dark age God will always send people who will give some light out of the darkness
• If the forces of evil are getting numerous the forces of God are also getting more numerous
• St. Paul says where sin abounds grace abounds all the more. Whatever trials we bear now, no matter how difficult, still, they are temporary. It will not be permanent as it can always end anytime

C. Challenge
• This is a little mysterious that God who is so merciful could allow bad things to happen to us if only to make us repent of our sins
• Even in our sinfulness God finds ways and means to allow us to go back to him
• Or God even allows bad things to happen even to good people because he has a purpose to reveal
• Just as the new disciples now in company with Jesus are all fishermen where to our standards we would ask why is it that Jesus did not look for men who are educated who can accompany him well in the ministry
• There is always a purpose if Jesus has chosen the lowly fishermen as there is always a purpose why would a loving God would also allow troubles in the life we live
• Surely, in the end, something is always good will come after all our trials
• If you have seen the movie: The Exorcism of Emily Rose. She was a devout young woman and very faithful to the Catholic faith and then she was possessed by demons
• When she died, her diary revealed that God has allowed possession by the devil in her so that the people will really believe that the devil really exists
• We can never fathom the wisdom of God for this. So today we are reminded that God keeps track of all the things that we do good or bad
• And he never abandons us in whatever situation in life we belong
• God will make use of the signs of the times, the situation, our experiences our relationships to teach and remind us that God is always there for us
• If we are at the pinnacle of happiness and abundance, God is there to remind us to thank him for our prosperity. God shares our joy and happiness
• If we are at the lowest ebb of our life and we suffer in pain, God also suffers with us
• The presence of God is not constrained by any boundary. God is always there for us reminding us always to go back to him
• God is calling us to become his new disciples in these confusing times and as the situation gets more difficult and he has promised that he will never abandon us