Bearers of Christ’s Light

HOMILY: Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Matthew 4:12-23

22 January 2023

Fr. Ricky Cañet Montañez, AA

It feels good to always win. It’s awesome when we seem to come out on top of each game of chance.  We could be lucky in the lottery, lucky in business, lucky at work, lucky in marriage or lucky in our children. Which of us here is lucky at work? (Raise your hand!) …with your children? …with one’s spouse? (Of course, you won’t know if your marriage is really okay until you’re married and going through hardships… Today especially, the Lunar New Year celebration, we want good fortune.  I bet, there are some of us who buy lucky charms for this Year of the Water Rabbit.

The reality of life though is that we are not always dealt the good cards. Sometimes, we experience defeat, losses, disappointments. At most times, it can be frustrating, annoying or disheartening. But there are some losses that are devastating. Can we think of what we can lose that will bring us to the brink of insanity? 

Today, the lands of Naphtali and Zebulun are mentioned both in the First Reading and the Gospel. They are important lands in the ministry of Jesus. These lands nevertheless border the pagan territories and hence, they are viewed in a light that is less than complimentary. For the Jews, it was very important to keep their race pure and to maintain their food, dietary and worship customs intact. Hence, those places that did not conform to their customs were called pagan territories and lands of darkness. So, if you are born there, you are considered unfortunate. Most likely your Jewish neighbours would look at you differently and very unfavourably. One may also look down on you as if you cannot receive the grace of God.

Thus, it is surprising that Jesus chose to live there, to teach and to perform miracles there. In today’s gospel passage it is to these lands that Jesus appears proclaiming the Kingdom of Heaven. We heard that “He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum, by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali.” He comes as a fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy. Every Christmas Eve mass we read… “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who lived in a land of gloom a light has shone.” (Isaiah 9:2) For us, this is to signify that all aspects of life, all corners of the world even those covered in darkness are illumined by the light of Christ. Those dwelling in darkness are not condemned forever. Jesus went to them and showed them the light. Jesus did this not only in His Word, and teaching but also in the miracles He performed. He proved that God’s mercy is offered generously and it is for everyone. 

What we see in the readings this Sunday are encouraging, hopeful images for those of us who may be losing our zest for life due to certain losses we have had to deal with. Of course, what hurts the most is the loss of our loved ones.  It could also be because we are grieving over our personal losses of freedom, of our independence, of our perceived control over our family, our work or even the very environment where we are. Didn’t we seem to be mourning during the lockdown since we couldn’t go out of our houses? The other sick people or the elderly who are bedridden seem to have no desire to live anymore. Or when there is a calamity — an earthquake or a flood or a typhoon that withers in an area where there is almost nothing to save for the residents… Aren’t those very difficult events that will test the strength of our hope? When we experience such losses, we tend to retreat into ourselves and fail to see clearly into the whole world that is filled with hope, beauty and positivity. 

Once, I accompanied a parishioner. This is someone who was going through the grieving process that was the result of the unexpected death of a fiancée a month before their wedding. So, they had been dating for a long time and are looking forward to their upcoming wedding. Everything was ready. They were excited, then suddenly the man died. It was painful and devastating how their nine-year relationship ended. It was difficult to find the words to console her, especially since the grief was raw. When the dust settled, it afforded us the opportunity to talk about the “dyings and risings” that make up the cycle of life. At the end of our conversation, her tears also stopped. She may not have fully accepted what we talked about but I’m sure that somehow his sadness was relieved through my presence.

As Christians, we have been given the assurance of the promise of rising again in each of our experiences of dying through the Paschal Mystery. This spurs us to believe that we will overcome every adversity in life. The mystery of Jesus’ life, His death and resurrection is a great gift to us.  With each death we come to experience… we can anticipate that new life will stem from it. So we should not lose hope.We believe that a great light will dawn upon us even in the midst of life’s gloominess.  What a gift indeed!

The fact that we are recipients of this “light”, it is our responsibility to be witnesses and bearers of this Light to others!  If we can only be sensitive, we will see that many around us are eager for the Christ’s light. May we let the words of this church hymn be our prayer… “May we bear the Christ-light for others in the night-time of their fears. May we hold our hand out to those who are in the darkness of grief and speak the peace they long to hear.” Let us not lose hope despite our defeats and losses in life. God’s light will find us, as long as we hold on and hold fast to Jesus.  God bless us all!