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He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Matthew 4:19
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Introduction to the Liturgy of the DayToday we celebrate the Sunday of the Word of God, recognizing the centrality of God’s word in the life of the Church. Saint Jerome, who translated most of the Bible into Latin in the fourth century, wrote, “Ignorance of the scriptures is ignorance of Christ.” Every time we come to Mass we listen to the words of scripture, conscious that God’s word is a living word, speaking to us in our age as powerfully and relevantly as when it was written. Let us resolve to make God’s word a guiding force in our lives.
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Introduction to the Liturgy of the WordReadings:
Isaiah 8:23—9:3 “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.”
Psalm 27 “The Lord is my light and my salvation.”
1 Corinthians 1:10–13, 17 Let there be no divisions among you.
Matthew 4:12–23 Andrew and Peter abandon their nets to follow the Lord.
On this Sunday of the Word of God we hear a dramatic example of how words written in one era come alive centuries later in a new context. Isaiah saw that Judah’s king had turned his back on his own people, but also saw a day when God’s ultimate triumph would be realized. Eight hundred years later, Matthew noted that Jesus came from the same region Isaiah mentioned, giving new meaning to the “great light” who overcame the darkness. Listening to God’s holy word, let us reflect on how the light of Christ continues to overcome the darkness. -
Introduction to the Eucharistic PrayerLet us pray that through the miracle of the Eucharist, the light of Christ will shine through us.
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Reflection
- Zebulun and Naphtali, as well as Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee, were on the outskirts of Jewish Palestine, outside Judea proper. Here Gentiles lived alongside Jews, bringing a strong Hellenistic influence to the region. People from Judea often looked down upon those who lived outside Judea, much as we may look down on those who come from outside our own community, society, or country. Isaiah’s and Matthew’s words declare that it is insiders’ negative attitudes toward outsiders, not the outsiders themselves, that bring gloom and darkness to the land. The presence of outsiders can bring either diversity or division; the choice is up to the insiders. Let us not forget that Jesus himself is one of those outsiders.
- The first disciples Jesus called—Simon and Andrew, James and John—were all fishermen, one of the most stable occupations of first-century Galilee. Yet they immediately left their way of life to follow Jesus into the great unknown. No longer could they be assured of putting food on their tables or income in their pockets. But as they traveled around Galilee, they were rewarded by seeing firsthand the wonders that Jesus did.
- Today we celebrate the Sunday of the Word of God, established just four years ago to remind us that scripture is central to our faith. Christ is the center of the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, for, as John wrote, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (1:1). Through stories and myths, histories and testimonies, visions and parables, oracles and letters and songs, God is revealed to us through the Word.
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Question of the WeekCan I commit myself to studying scripture daily in 2023, making it central in my life?
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All About the Mass
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Readings of the Mass
LISTEN HERE to the Audio Recordings of the Readings of January 22nd, 2023, Third Sunday in Ordinary Time.
SELECT HERE for the Readings of January 22nd, 2023, Third Sunday in Ordinary Time.
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Reflections
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9 Days for Life Novena
Thursday, January 19th — Friday, January 27th, 2023
Join thousands of Catholics nationwide in the annual Respect Life Novena.
Get daily intentions, brief reflections and more. Sign up at www.9daysforlife.com
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Sunday of the Word of God
The Sunday of the Word of God is January 22nd, 2023 and is celebrated on the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. On September 30th, 2019, Pope Francis in his Apostolic Letter, "Aperuit Illis", instituted the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time as the Sunday of the Word of God.
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Jesus Christ invites us to return to the source and summit of our faith: his Real Presence in the Eucharist. The National Eucharistic Revival is a movement to restore understanding and devotion to this great mystery here in the United States....DISCOVER MORERead More
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