In today’s Gospel, Mt. 4: 12-17, 23-25, Jesus leaves
Nazareth and goes to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and
Naphtali, the “Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness,…those
dwelling in a land overshadowed by death…”
That is us here in the U.S., in Syria, Palestine, Israel, Egypt, Africa,
China, Russia, Europe; in fact, the entire world. Over
us, within us, among us a “light has arisen.”
That Light is the Son of God come into the world as an infant, present
among us through each one of us who believes in the Incarnate God, God
incarnate in each one of us who believes in and are instruments of God’s love
and mercy given to us personally in the sacraments of baptism, confirmation,
Eucharist and Reconciliation, as well as in all of the other sacraments. The Light of God shines forth in the world
through our acts of kindness and forgiveness, our standing up for the Truth,
our acting justly and loving tenderly—the tender love parents shown to their
children, the love expressed to adolescents having a difficult time growing up,
the love expressed to those who are mentally, physically, emotionally
challenged, to those who are different from us in race, creed, and sexual orientation; to the homeless, the
alcoholic, the men and women sitting in our prisons, those desperately needy in
some way.
Jesus enters our darkness with the message “Repent, for the
Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” People will know that truth when we reach out to
heal all diseases and bridge the gap that separates us from that and from
those with whom we are ill at ease. May we welcome Jesus into our thinking and
believing so that we do not hold back from the invitation to make the
difference that will bring healing to those we meet today.
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