CYCLE A 3RD ORDINARY
1. As we take notice of the community we live in, getting our perspective from 1st hand experiences, 2nd hand information from friends and neighbors, or news reports from radio, TV or newspaper stories, wouldn’t you agree that things seem to be in a ‘state of turmoil’.
By TURMOIL I mean there is an air of UNREST, people are AGITATED, there is COMOTION and UPROAR. This stems from the problems we face: Moral, Economic, Health, Political, Climatic, Crime, and Immigration. We just can’t quit living here and while it is HARD sometimes to enjoy life, I find these times still produce EXCITMENT and are ENGAGING.
2. In our Gospel we see Jesus was coming from PRIVATE life into His PUBLIC ministry. And significant is the fact that he is starting His Ministry in His Home territory Galilee. And I think you can say that Turmoil was normal. But you say that Jesus’ coming was Good. You’re right, but even good things that happen will cause commotion and uproar.
Jesus certainly did add to the level of TURMOIL as he broke on to the public scene. His 1st ministry words of …”…the Kingdom of God is at hand”, were in part, words that the Jews would have been LONGING to hear for 500 years. The coming of the Messiah would cause an UPROAR and COMOTION.
But to be told at the same time you need to REPENT, would have AGITATED them to no end. REPENT was an invitation to change sinful lives, to a quire a New heart about their faith. REPENT was a word that meant they needed to come to their spiritual senses after of years of neglect.
3. Jesus in His 1st step into Ministry went to a region of Israel that probably fit in well with His mission: To call all to REPENT. This region was in need of repentance. It had the need to Change. And it certainly was in need of a Spiritual awakening. Even the nickname of the area “Galilee of the Gentile’s” indicated what the region had become.
You see, Naphtali and Zebulun were two of names of the tribes of Israel. Those two tribes settled in the region west of the sea of Galilee. But in time the Assyrians had come to influence that area through occupation and deportation. Leaving it at the time of Christ to be 50% or more Gentile and heavily Pagan in religious cult.
Because of these factors the people of this Galilee region were seen to be ‘a people who sit in darkness’. Jesus chose this people in that geographical area, versus that of, say, the City of Jerusalem for example, to show that his ministry was to fulfill the promise that:
a) YAHWEH would again reach out to His chosen people, the oppressed and spiritually starving and His presence would be among them once again. And at the same time…
b) YAHWEH would make the Israelites evangelizers to the Gentiles who do not believe in the one true God.
4. For at the moment Jesus proclaims the ‘Kingdom of heaven is at hand’ he set in motion and presents to man, God’s future, yet final salvation act for all humanity (Politically, socially and spiritually). His importance as the ‘Great Light’ then becomes clear, especially as we look in Retrospect.
5. The fact that Jesus goes to the ‘Galilee of the Gentiles’, his home area, gives that region that Personal-Divine touch. But in the balance of the Gospel we see clearly that the next step was to lay the foundation for his church both in leadership and discipleship. So that in the future the Divine Touch will be extended to others. To the whole world through His emissaries.
For Jesus went to Capernaum (A city by the sea in the tribal area of Naphtali) ignoring the Jerusalem religious establishment, to CALL His first disciples.
With a flurry of Activity, Jesus INVITES Peter and Andrew, James and John to be Disciples and Fishers of men, for the Kingdom of Heaven. And that Kingdom is KEPT ALIVE even to today through His church.
6. You and I have been asked to Keep that Kingdom alive. So as we think about our own people in Siouxland and the TURMOIL that is evident here. We must engage ourselves in Christian action.
-Who today is in UNREST: Immigrants, the unchurched, the lonely.
– Who today is AGGITATED: those victimized and those in sin.
– Who today is in COMMOTION: The sick, the grieving, the homeless
-What today puts us in an UPROAR: abortion, poverty, racism, murder, drugs
As church we must become the GREAT LIGHT to a people ‘who sit in darkness’. All must REPENT. All must bring about change and a new heart. Or many in Sioux City will continue to ‘Sit in darkness’.
If you’re not ready to help…then REPENT. If you are ready then Lets get to work to bring about the KINGDOM OF GOD. There is Plenty to do.
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