Reflection about Is 8, 23-9,3;
1Cor 1,10-13.17; Mt 4, 12-23
The prophet Isaias
speaks about a glorious and happy time in the journey of the People of God. All
this reality was fulfilled with the person and mission of Jesus. He started his
work in Galilee, which is known as “Galilee of pagans” because the amount of
pagans that installed themselves in that region. After the prison of John the
Baptist, Jesus was not afraid of being arrested also, but he settled in
Capernaum, involved himself with the reality of the people and inviting them to
conversion. He announced the kingdom of God not as a reality far from the
reality of the people, but very near because this kingdom is present in his own
person.
Jesus is the light
that this people yearned with great expectative. His proposal of conversion was
invitation to come out from darkness to light. He could work alone but
preferred to call collaborators who answered with total availability. As he was
not satisfied with the first ones only, he continued walking and calling
others. His calling is radical. In the same way it should be the answer of the
people who are called. The people who were called were simple people of Galilee
who were habituated with the hard reality of the life. Jesus looked at them and
his look penetrated deeply in their hearts. He looks far and fascinates because
he invites to fish differently and to change the life. “When Jesus looked at
Simon he saw a Stone for the sake of his Church. When his looked at John, he
saw a mystic person. When he looks at you, which kind of life he sees?
In the John’s gospel,
we find a passage, which says, “the light shines in the darkness however the
darkness didn’t get overcome it”. This Phrase is announcement of the victory of
Christ and the ones who follow him to get the light of life. Calling
collaborators, Jesus shared with them his own light so that they may be light
also. The testimony of the ones who follow Jesus is a light because it fills of
meaning the life of the people. The light was made in order to illuminate and
it reaches its finality when it gets to give strength and life to all. Like
that it happened since the beginning, that is, when God said “Let there be
light!” There was light and the life happened. The light of God is his wisdom,
his inspiration and his word. The one who allows to be conducted by this light
is able to see well and to reach with success his objectives.
It is good to know and
to feel that we are not more in darkness. Great light shined on us and it was
for freedom that Jesus has set us free. It was responsibility of Christ because
he is faithful. For our side, we must leave the power of darkness because we
have not been abandoned to the power of darkness. So, Saint Paul says, “If in
the past you were darkness, now you are light in the Lord. You should act as
children of God (Ef 5,8).” He reminds us that some divisions among us prevents
the brightness of this light, making opposition to what Jesus desired to his
Church. It is possible to find the way again, if we assume Christ again as
centrality in everything we do. Many times the divisions are caused because in
our journey of fishing new disciples, we don’t do for Christ but for ourselves.
We use the name of God to do good to others. That is right! The people who
receive our help remain related to us. That is a risk! Because the lack of
discernment, the people take us as reference instead of Christ. When Christ is
not the centrality, the division happens. Be careful with this kind of fishing
disciples!
As disciples of Jesus,
we have assumed the responsibility of being light. During our baptism we are
spoken, ‘dear child… you have been enlightened by Christ, light of the world.
Walk as child of the light.” We are enlightened by the word of God every day so
that we may enlighten others from this light. According to Jesus, the result of
this experience cannot be hidden. Today he tells us “May your light shine
before the people so that they may see your good works and glorify the Father
who are in heaven.” The joy of the meeting with the Lord cannot be hidden. It should
be proclaimed. The decision of hiding the light maybe it is humility but can be
also shame or lack of courage and enthusiasm. Like that, the light cannot reach
its finality. When our actions are made for God ’s sake, we do not have reason to
hide them. If we need to hide some of our actions is because the light of the
truth is absent in them. One day the truth of our actions will be discovered
and also our real identity will be revealed. Considering the need of constant
conversion, let us welcome the Word of Jesus as light in order we can enlighten
others from this light, which is present in us.
Fr. Ndega
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