January 25, 2026: Third Sunday after the Epiphany
Matthew 4: 12-23
When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
“Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
the people who sat in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death
light has dawned.”
From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.
Jesus calls us to new life no matter what our circumstances are. “The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light”. The call of Jesus is transformative and leads to goodness and wholeness. No matter where we are in life, we can always start anew. That is the power of the resurrection acting in our lives.
Sometimes Jesus’ call is very clear and dramatic, as in the case of Peter, Andrew, James and John. Sometimes there is no mistaking it. After all, he issued a very direct invitation to them: “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” But oftentimes the invitation of Jesus is but a whisper: quiet and gentle, nudging us inwardly, inviting us to move forward, asking us to choose something different for ourselves.
And the Feast of the Epiphany, which we celebrated three weeks ago and during which the Three Wise Men were led by a star to visit Jesus, signifies the universal nature of Jesus’ call. The Three Wise Men (or Kings) represented the world beyond Israel, showing that God’s invitation to new life is inclusive and all encompassing. ALL people, not just a select few, are intended to be part of the family of God, because God shows no favorites, and God’s love is all-embracing.
How is God calling you these days? To what new beginnings are you being invited?