3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time - The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

“The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mt 4:17, NAB). That one line gathers today’s readings into a single call: to welcome Christ the Light, to turn around our lives, and to follow him so that others may find the same light.

In the first reading, Isaiah speaks to a people walking in darkness, who suddenly see “a great light” shining on those who dwell in a land of gloom (Is 9:1, NAB). The prophet promises joy, freedom from the yoke that burdens, and the breaking of oppression.

In the Gospel, Matthew deliberately places Jesus in “Galilee of the Gentiles” as prophesized by Isaiah, to say: this promised light is not an abstract but a person, Jesus himself (cf. Mt 4:14–16, NAB). Where he is welcomed, fear, sin, and despair do not have the last word, the fulfilment of Isaiah's promises.

Jesus’ first public message is simple and urgent: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mt 4:17, NAB). To repent is not just to feel sorry; it is to change direction. A friend had a bumper sticker on her car that summarized it so succinctly:  "God allows U-turns". That's repentance: to turn away from darkness and walk toward the light that has already come near.  Because the kingdom is “at hand,” repentance is not about earning God’s love, but about no longer resisting it. Every concrete change: forgiveness, being charitable, choosing honesty, becomes a way of stepping into the light Isaiah promised. 

In the second part of the gospel, right after proclaiming repentance, Jesus walks by the Sea of Galilee and calls Simon Peter and Andrew, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Mt 4:19, NAB). They leave their nets “at once,” and James and John leave even their boat and father to follow him (Mt 4:20–22, NAB). Notice the order: first they meet the Light and hear the call, then revalue their old way of life; the nets, the boats, even legitimate family ties, take second place to Jesus. Discipleship is not an add-on; it becomes their new identity and mission.

However, these readings do not only describe what happened then; they describe who the Church is now. Christ still shines in a world that knows real darkness: ​we have war, violence, division, loneliness, and he still speaks the same two words to each and everyone of us: “Repent” and “Follow me.”

So each of us is invited to:

• Let his light expose and heal the “dark corners” of our hearts.
• Make real choices of conversion in our habits, relationships, and priorities.
• Accept the call to be “fishers of men”: to speak of Christ, to invite, to accompany, to serve, so that others can discover the kingdom that is already at hand.

Today, as we approach the altar, ask for the grace of a concrete “yes.” Ask for the courage to leave behind one “net” that keeps you in the dark, and to follow the Lord more freely. The Light has already come near; now it is our turn to turn toward him, walk in that light, and help draw others into its warmth.

Peace.

​Deacon Michel