Parishioner's Gospel reflection
Come follow Me
26 January 2020: 3rd Sunday of the Year (Cycle A)
Parishioner’s Gospel
Contributor: Tony Luis
Matthew 4:12-23
THE BEGINNINGS OF JESUS’ MINISTRY
This passage describes of the beginnings of Jesus’ Ministry and made up of three distinct paragraphs
The fulfilment of Prophecy
Jesus calls the First four Disciples
Jesus Ministers to Crowds of People by preaching, teaching and healing.
The fulfilment of Prophecy – When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the lake, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled another proof that Jesus is indeed the Messiah. Capernaum became the home base for Jesus and where many important miracles were performed, including the healing of the centurion’s servant, and of Simon’s mother-in-law, exorcising the man with an unclean spirit, and the healing of the paralytic who was lowered through the roof.
From that time Jesus began to proclaim, ’Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near. The message is identical to John’s. Though the content is same the context is different. John prepared the way while Jesus is the embodiment of the message. The reign of God has come. The Hebrew verb ‘repent’ means ‘’turn around’’. Repentance is not merely an apology but a change in behaviour, a change in direction and a change of your life.
Jesus calls the First four Disciples - The next two scenes in the passage illustrate how lives can change when Jesus appears. In the first scene, Jesus out on a stroll by the lake encounters two brothers, Simon Peter and Andrew, hard at work fishing. ‘’Follow me,’’ he says ‘’and I will make you fish for people’’. This highlights Jesus’ call to a new life’s work. Without questions, Peter and Andrew left their nets and followed him. In the second scene, Jesus sees another set of brothers, James and John the sons of Zebedee, in a boat with their father. Jesus calls them too and immediately both leave the boat and their father and follow him. Jesus’ call takes priority over their occupation and over family commitments, a startling idea in an era when family connections were a primary source of identity and when responsibility to care for one’s parents was rooted in cultural custom and in biblical law. Jesus calls his disciples to a new way of life in the reign of God. Discipleship means following Jesus, getting behind him and going wherever he leads.
Jesus Ministers to Crowds of People – In the final verse, Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news and curing every disease and every sickness among the people. Demoniacs, epileptics and paralytics, he cured them all. Jesus begins to enact god’s reign. In his teaching, in his preaching and in his ministry of healing, he announces and reveals God’s light dawning on a dark world, God’s rule triumphing over the powers of evil and death.
This passage is relevant to us today as Jesus calls us to follow him. How many of us respond to his call willingly and without question as the four disciples did?
How many of us give thanks and praise to God when we are cured of sickness and pain?
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2 Feb 2020: Presentation of the Lord (Cycle A)
Parishioner's Gospel
Contributor: A Parishioner
Luke 2:22-40
Most new parents feel awed by the precious new life they are suddenly given to cherish and protect. Many sometimes feel overwhelmed and confused by the care and dedication they are called on to provide. Luckily most new parents also have the love, expertise, and support of family and friends as well as the customs and routines of their cultures to turn at such moments. This generous encouragement and support helps them to grow and mature as their child’s parents, carers and guides.
Mary and Joseph of course experienced a completely unique additional dimension to their parental roles. Having individually and together said ‘yes’ to God’s plan they must at times have been bemused and perhaps uncertain about what their responsibilities and roles should be. They kept to the simple customs and Laws of their faith to carry them through. And within this context and through their community God was perhaps providing confirmation and support to them that this child was indeed God’s blessed and only Son, sent by Him to be the Salvation of the world. Certainly in these early weeks extraordinary things were continually being said and revealed about their tiny new baby son, ‘a light to enlighten the pagans and the glory of your people Israel’. No wonder they ‘stood there wondering at the things that were being said about him’. And they must have been reassured and strengthened by the spirit-filled proclamations given by wise Simon and devout Anna, affirming for them what God had already revealed regarding this small child whom they had been chosen to protect and nurture.
The trust in God that Mary and Joseph showed was remarkable, indeed exceptional. It is a real example for us all. So we could ask God today to increase our trust in Him. Faith and trust in God of course does not blossom in isolation, but in community. Mary and Joseph were supported and affirmed in their faith-driven actions by others filled with the Holy Spirit.
Let’s also pray that we may be open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit as Simeon and Anna were, so that we can affirm each other and grow as a faith community full of God’s love.
Parishioner’s Gospel
Contributor: Tony Luis
Matthew 4:12-23
THE BEGINNINGS OF JESUS’ MINISTRY
This passage describes of the beginnings of Jesus’ Ministry and made up of three distinct paragraphs
The fulfilment of Prophecy
Jesus calls the First four Disciples
Jesus Ministers to Crowds of People by preaching, teaching and healing.
The fulfilment of Prophecy – When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the lake, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled another proof that Jesus is indeed the Messiah. Capernaum became the home base for Jesus and where many important miracles were performed, including the healing of the centurion’s servant, and of Simon’s mother-in-law, exorcising the man with an unclean spirit, and the healing of the paralytic who was lowered through the roof.
From that time Jesus began to proclaim, ’Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near. The message is identical to John’s. Though the content is same the context is different. John prepared the way while Jesus is the embodiment of the message. The reign of God has come. The Hebrew verb ‘repent’ means ‘’turn around’’. Repentance is not merely an apology but a change in behaviour, a change in direction and a change of your life.
Jesus calls the First four Disciples - The next two scenes in the passage illustrate how lives can change when Jesus appears. In the first scene, Jesus out on a stroll by the lake encounters two brothers, Simon Peter and Andrew, hard at work fishing. ‘’Follow me,’’ he says ‘’and I will make you fish for people’’. This highlights Jesus’ call to a new life’s work. Without questions, Peter and Andrew left their nets and followed him. In the second scene, Jesus sees another set of brothers, James and John the sons of Zebedee, in a boat with their father. Jesus calls them too and immediately both leave the boat and their father and follow him. Jesus’ call takes priority over their occupation and over family commitments, a startling idea in an era when family connections were a primary source of identity and when responsibility to care for one’s parents was rooted in cultural custom and in biblical law. Jesus calls his disciples to a new way of life in the reign of God. Discipleship means following Jesus, getting behind him and going wherever he leads.
Jesus Ministers to Crowds of People – In the final verse, Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news and curing every disease and every sickness among the people. Demoniacs, epileptics and paralytics, he cured them all. Jesus begins to enact god’s reign. In his teaching, in his preaching and in his ministry of healing, he announces and reveals God’s light dawning on a dark world, God’s rule triumphing over the powers of evil and death.
This passage is relevant to us today as Jesus calls us to follow him. How many of us respond to his call willingly and without question as the four disciples did?
How many of us give thanks and praise to God when we are cured of sickness and pain?
**********************************************************
2 Feb 2020: Presentation of the Lord (Cycle A)
Parishioner's Gospel
Contributor: A Parishioner
Luke 2:22-40
Most new parents feel awed by the precious new life they are suddenly given to cherish and protect. Many sometimes feel overwhelmed and confused by the care and dedication they are called on to provide. Luckily most new parents also have the love, expertise, and support of family and friends as well as the customs and routines of their cultures to turn at such moments. This generous encouragement and support helps them to grow and mature as their child’s parents, carers and guides.
Mary and Joseph of course experienced a completely unique additional dimension to their parental roles. Having individually and together said ‘yes’ to God’s plan they must at times have been bemused and perhaps uncertain about what their responsibilities and roles should be. They kept to the simple customs and Laws of their faith to carry them through. And within this context and through their community God was perhaps providing confirmation and support to them that this child was indeed God’s blessed and only Son, sent by Him to be the Salvation of the world. Certainly in these early weeks extraordinary things were continually being said and revealed about their tiny new baby son, ‘a light to enlighten the pagans and the glory of your people Israel’. No wonder they ‘stood there wondering at the things that were being said about him’. And they must have been reassured and strengthened by the spirit-filled proclamations given by wise Simon and devout Anna, affirming for them what God had already revealed regarding this small child whom they had been chosen to protect and nurture.
The trust in God that Mary and Joseph showed was remarkable, indeed exceptional. It is a real example for us all. So we could ask God today to increase our trust in Him. Faith and trust in God of course does not blossom in isolation, but in community. Mary and Joseph were supported and affirmed in their faith-driven actions by others filled with the Holy Spirit.
Let’s also pray that we may be open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit as Simeon and Anna were, so that we can affirm each other and grow as a faith community full of God’s love.