Homily 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time

January 22, 2023

Franklin Fong, OFM

So where are we in the liturgical year? During Advent we prepared for Jesus’ coming to be born. Then we celebrated his birth and epiphany. Now we are attentive to what Jesus says and does in his public ministry. What he says and does are meant for us today as well as his followers then. So, in todays readings Jesus tells us that he is the light of the world!

Today’s first reading starts with the reference to “the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali” and “Galilee of the nations” or Gentiles. This particular reading is also used at the Midnight Mass at Christmas. The big difference between the midnight mass reading and that if today’s reading is that light of Christ is in the form of the baby Jesus at Christmas and that light of Christ of today’s readings is in the form of the light of Christ at the beginning of his public ministries. 

Christianity is about light. Just as Jesus is light to the world, so his church is to be light in a world of darkness. Light enables the beauty of things to be seen, and we are called to make the beauty of the world shine. But we are not to call attention to ourselves: if you are aware of the light in a room, it is too bright. Rather, our vocation is for others, not ourselves. The darkness of the Gentile world which hadn’t heard the Good News of the graces of God’s gifts through Christ is where the light of Christ is needed !

This reading should encourage those who feel they are living in the dark. They will soon see the light. The Lord will soon intervene in their lives. Sadness is not the last word as God is good and God speaks through the prophets and the people who cheer you up.

Psalm 27 is about us acknowledging that God is our light. That we must know our priority is to seek God and to dwell in his place and must believe that one day God will pour out his blessings upon us. We don’t give despair even the slightest chance in our life.

The Second Reading, from Paul to the Corinthians, suggests another kind of unfinished apostolic business—healing divisions within the Church. The Corinthians are indulging in rivalries that threaten the unity of the body of Christ. Having been unified by baptism and faith, they are now allowing factions to pull them apart. The gathered people are allowing themselves to be scattered. Paul answers by reminding them that this motley crowd were first gathered into unity by their discovery of the power and wisdom of God in Christ crucified and in the life of mutual service to which that discovery drew them. 

So we now see that the darkness may be about the conflict and rivalries in the world, We need not look far to find analogies to Paul's Corinthian community in our Church today. Look at how many different branches and forms of the Christian church exist from protestant, orthodox, reformed, Catholic, Episcopal organizations. In the secular world we only have to look at political conflicts and rivalries such as the refugees showing up at our borders, and as the war in Ukraine.  

Our baptism in Christ should unite us, regardless of who baptized, catechized, or helped us in our faith. Divisions and rivalries have no place in the Christian communities.

In Matthew’s Gospel Jesus leaves Nazareth for Capernaum to fulfill the promise of bringing light to the Jordan. He preached that the Kingdom of God requires reform. Indeed it does. So it was for the church of Peter and Paul. So it is for us today.

In the “always reforming” life of the church, at least two principles seem important. First, every one of us, from pope to pauper, from theologian to activist, from grandparent to child, stands humbly before God as a sinner called to conversion and salvation in Jesus Christ. There can be no other ground or principle from which we can approach our various gifts or deficiencies.

Second, it is good to recall the kinds of people Jesus chose for Apostles: from the fishermen brothers, Simon and Andrew, to Matthew and John, they were all flawed yet graced. They would go on to heal and preach a kingdom that would draw millions to Christ. And what always helped them overcome their differences was the sure knowledge that it was in Christ’s name they were fishing, not their own.

Now is the time to be out and about, to be seen and heard, to pursue group interests. Such group orientation or connectedness permeates this reading as it does the entire Bible. The lives of the Baptizer, the disciples, and healed clients are entirely intertwined with Jesus.

 Jesus’ group-oriented culture lived by second nature by the founders of our American roots. Their values of Organize! Build your network! It’s the only way you can win have been deeply entrenched in our American ways of life. We see it today in all the discussion about how the two major political parties are trying to walk together in building a better USA !  

The universality of the gospel is intended for all. We in faith do not deny the present darkness of evil, but we find help to cope with threatening despair, We can look through and BEYOND present crises because the purposes of God are worked out in the long run. 

So take some time to reflect on the different ways that the Chinese Catholic Community has come together over these past 45 years. In what ways has this community shown its strength by being a community and simply a group . Let us especially pray in thanksgiving for the way the Holy Spirit has guided us to bring that light of Christ to the world !

Brothers and sisters of the Chinese Catholic Community 

of St Leander Parish, that is

 the Good News for this 3rd Sunday of ordinary Time.

Alleluia Alleluia !

(中文翻譯.原文以英文為準.)

常年期甲年第三主日
鄺神父主日道理中譯本

讀經一: 依撒意亞先知書 8:23 - 9:3
讀經二: 聖保祿宗徒致格林多人前書 1:10-13, 17
瑪竇福音: 4:12 - 23

我們來到了這個禮儀年的那個部份？在將臨期間，我們準備了基督來臨，然後我們慶祝他的誕生及主顯節。現在我們要關注耶穌在公開傳道中的言行。他的言行對今天的我們以及當時的追隨者都是深具意義的。在今天的讀經中，耶穌告訴我們他是世界的光！
 
今天的讀經一，提到“則步隆地和納斐塔里地”和“加里肋亞列邦”或外邦人。聖誕節的子夜彌撒也是用了這篇特別的經文。子夜彌撒讀經與今天讀經的最大區別是，基督之光在聖誕節是以嬰兒耶穌的形式出現，而今天讀經中的基督之光是以耶穌公開傳道的方式出現。
 
基督宗教是光的宗教。正如耶穌是世界的光，他的教會也將成為黑暗世界中的光。光顯現了事物之美，我們是被召喚來照亮世界之美。我們不是被召喚來凸顯自己：如果你注意到房間裡的光線，那就太亮了。相反，我們的使命是為照亮別人，而不是照亮自己。外邦世界的黑暗，沒有聽到上主藉著基督賜恩的好訊息，正是需要基督之光的地方！
 
這篇讀經應該鼓勵那些覺得自己活在黑暗中的人。他們很快就會看到光明。天主很快就會進入他們的生活。他們也不用悲傷，因為天主是美善的，衪透過先知和讓我們振作起來的人向我們說話。
 
聖詠第 27 篇是關於我們承認天主是我們的光。我們必須知道我們的首要任務是尋求上主並住在他內，並且必須相信有一天上主會把他的祝福傾注在我們身上，我們不要給絕望絲毫機會。
 
在讀經二，從聖保祿給格林多人的書信中，提出了另一種未完成的使徒工作 -- 醫治教會內部的分歧。格林多人縱容分裂對抗，對教會合一構成威脅。他們因洗禮和信仰而合而為一，但卻允許派系分裂。保祿提醒他們，這群不同背景的群體之所以聚集一起，是因為他們發現了被釘十字架的基督的能力和智慧，這發現吸引了他們過著互相服務的生活。
 
所以我們現在看到黑暗可能與世界上的衝突和敵對有關。我們毋需看得太遠就能找到我們今天的教會與聖保祿時代格林多教會的類同。我們可看看從新教、東正教、改革宗、天主教、聖公會組織中存在多少不同的基督教會分支和形式。在世俗世界中，我們只需看看政治敵對衝突，例如出現在我們邊境的難民，以及烏克蘭的戰爭。
 
無論是誰為我們施洗、教理傳授，在基督內的洗禮應該使我們團結起來。分裂和競爭在教會內應無立足之地。
 
在瑪竇福音中，耶穌離開納匝肋前往葛法翁，以實現為約旦河帶來光明的應許。他宣揚天主的神國需要改革。確實如此。伯多祿和保祿的教會也是如此。今天對我們的教會來說也是如此。
 
在教會“不斷自我改革”的生活中，至少有兩個原則似乎很重要。首先，我們每個人，從教宗到貧民，從神學家到社會運動家，從祖父母到孩子，都謙卑地站在天主面前，作為一個罪人被召在耶穌基督裡悔改和得救。沒有其他基礎或原則可以讓我們了解我們的各種天賦或缺陷。
 
其次，最好回想一下耶穌選擇了怎麼樣的人作他的門徒：從漁民兄弟西滿和安得肋，到雅各伯和若望，他們都有缺陷，但都蒙福。他們會繼續醫治和宣揚一個吸引千千萬萬人歸向基督的國度。總是幫助他們克服分歧的是，他們確信他們是奉基督的名捕魚，而不是以他們自己的名。
 
現在是外出走走、被人看到和聽到、追求團體利益的時候了。這種群體導向或聯繫貫穿了今天的經文，就像它貫穿了整本聖經。洗者若翰、門徒和被治癒的人的生活完全與耶穌交織在一起。
 
耶穌的群體導向文化深深影響了美國的立國者，他們在組織上的價值觀，並建立人際網絡，這個讓國家富強的唯一路徑，已深深植根在美國人民的生活中。我們今天在所有關於兩大政黨如何努力攜手建設一個更美好國家的討論中都看到了這點！
 
福音的普世性是為所有人的。有信仰的我們不會否認當今邪惡的黑暗，但我們可找到幫助來應對絕望的威脅，我們可以看透並超越當前的危機，因為長遠來看，天主的旨意已經實現了。
 
因此，請花點時間反思一下我們這個華人信仰團體在過去四十五年來以不同的方式聚集在一起。這個群體以何種形式通過堂區和簡單的團體來展現其力量。讓我們特別以感恩的心，祈求聖神引領我們將基督的光帶給世界！

聖利安達堂區華人天主教會的弟兄姊妹們, 這就是常年期第三主日的好消息。

亞肋路亞，讚美天主！