First Reading
Isaiah 8:23-9:3
First the Lord degraded the land of Zebulun
and the land of Naphtali;
but in the end he has glorified the seaward road,
the land west of the Jordan,
the District of the Gentiles.
Anguish has taken wing, dispelled is darkness:
for there is no gloom where but now there was distress.
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom
a light has shone.
You have brought them abundant joy
and great rejoicing,
as they rejoice before you as at the harvest,
as people make merry when dividing spoils.
For the yoke that burdened them,
the pole on their shoulder,
and the rod of their taskmaster
you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14
R/ (1a) The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R/ The Lord is my light and my salvation.
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
R/ The Lord is my light and my salvation.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R/ The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Second Reading
1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17
I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that all of you agree in what you say,
and that there be no divisions among you,
but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose.
For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers and sisters,
by Chloe’s people, that there are rivalries among you.
I mean that each of you is saying,
“I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,”
or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.”
Is Christ divided?
Was Paul crucified for you?
Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel,
and not with the wisdom of human eloquence,
so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning.
Gospel
Matthew 4:12-23
When Jesus heard that John had been arrested,
he withdrew to Galilee.
He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea,
in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,
that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet
might be fulfilled:
Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles,
the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light,
on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death
light has arisen.
From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,
Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew,
casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.
He said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
At once they left their nets and followed him.
He walked along from there and saw two other brothers,
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.
He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father
and followed him.
He went around all of Galilee,
teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness among the people.
When Jesus heard that John had been arrested,
he withdrew to Galilee.
He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea,
in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,
that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet
might be fulfilled:
Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles,
the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light,
on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death
light has arisen.
From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
REFLECTION
by
One Bread, One Body - Reflection for January 26, 2014
TITLE: "THE LORD IS MY LIGHT" (Ps 27:1)
"A people living in darkness has seen a great light." –Matthew 4:16
Jesus, in His merciful love, can't bear the thought of a world in darkness. He declares: "I have come to the world as its Light, to keep anyone who believes in Me from remaining in the dark" (Jn 12:46). Yet some prefer the darkness and hate the light (Jn 3:19-21). There is no bushel basket (Mt 5:15) or wall thick enough to block out the Light of the World. So the people who hated the Light tried to extinguish the Light. For three days, they were successful, and the Light was buried in a tomb. However, Jesus is risen from the dead! "The light shines on in darkness, a darkness that did not overcome it" (Jn 1:5). Now Jesus the Light shines through us, His disciples (see Mt 5:14).
The people in darkness have seen a great light (Mt 4:16; Is 9:1). Many are attracted to the light, and stream toward it (see Is 2:2). Others prefer the deeds and lifestyle of darkness and will continue to attempt to extinguish the light, as if that were possible. Since we are now Jesus' lamps in the world, we must expect that His opponents will attempt to extinguish us in their futile attempts to darken the world. Eventually the only option for those who love darkness is to flee the light and find a place of permanent darkness. Some will detest the light so much they will beg the mountains and hills to cover them (see Hos 10:8; Lk 23:30; Rv 6:16). Repent of the futility of preferring darkness and opposing the light. Come to the Light, and join the victorious side (Jn 1:5).
PRAYER: Father, I repent of anything that I am hiding from You. Shine Your light on any darkness in my life.
PROMISE: "Come after Me and I will make you fishers of men." –Mt 4:19
PRAISE: Praise Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life! (Jn 11:25) "He is the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords Who alone has immortality" (1 Tm 6:15-16).
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