3RD SUNDAY YEAR A OUR DISCIPLESHIP

In the Gospel for Sunday (3A),   Jesus picks up where John the Baptist left off. We are told that He has come to fulfill the scriptures, that He will bring light to the people: "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness– on them a light has shined." (Prophet Isaiah). Those who are in the dark about what God plans are for the world will be enlightened  through Jesus’ preaching. They discover that God loves them and brings them salvation in the very fullest sense.  Jesus' light was a candle flame, the quiet flicker that hurricane winds tried and tried to put out, but could not.  Jesus is the indeed Light, the Redeemer, the One who died to save us and all of humanity.

The Light who came to redeem the whole humanity calls his followers.  His followers were very real people - contentious, weak at times, often baffled by Jesus. We, his disciples often resemble them. Bold at times, weak in others. We have our inadequacies. To Him we should turn for His help to heal us.

We belong to his church. Church” does not simply mean attending mass once a week and subscribing to a list of dogmas. To respond to Christ’s call to the Church means to be in the world, but not of it. It means to “re-form your life.” To allow your thinking and your pattern of life to be completely reorganized around the truth of God’s word.