"Happy Sunday of the Word of God! We have all experienced a 'brownout' or a power outage. You know that feeling when you are in...
"Happy Sunday of the Word of God!
We have all experienced a 'brownout' or a power outage. You know that feeling when you are in the middle of doing something important—maybe cooking dinner, finishing a report, or taking a shower—and suddenly, snap, everything goes pitch black.
In that darkness, two things happen. First, you stop moving because you are afraid to trip. You become paralyzed. Second, you feel vulnerable. You don't know what is around you.
But then, when the power comes back on—that sudden flood of brightness—what do you feel? Relief. Direction. You know exactly where to go.
In our First Reading today, the Prophet Isaiah describes a people who 'walked in darkness' and 'dwelt in the land of gloom.' And he promises them: 'They have seen a great light.'
Today, on this Sunday dedicated to the Bible, the Word of God, let us allow the Scripture to shine a spotlight on our lives through three words starting with the letter L: Light, Leaving, and Loyalty.
The first word is Light.
In the Gospel, we see exactly where Jesus chooses to turn on the 'light switch' of His ministry. He doesn't start in Jerusalem, the holy city, the place of the Temple, the place of the 'perfect' religious people. He starts in 'Galilee of the Gentiles.'
In those days, Galilee was looked down upon. It was the province, the outskirts, a place mixed with non-believers. It was considered a place of spiritual darkness.
My friends, this is good news for us. Because many of us feel like we are 'Galilee.' We feel we are too messy, too sinful, or too broken for God to use. We think, 'Lord, go to the holy people in the front row; I’m just here in the back.' But Jesus is the Light that specifically seeks out the darkness. He goes to the fishermen, not the scholars. If you feel like you are in a dark place today—whether it's depression, confusion, or a secret sin—rejoice. That is exactly where the Light of Christ is rising today.
The second word is Leaving.
When the Light shines, it exposes things. It shows us what we need to pick up, but more importantly, it shows us what we need to put down.
Jesus calls Peter, Andrew, James, and John. He says, 'Come after me.' And the Gospel gives us a detail we shouldn't miss: 'Immediately they left their nets and followed him.' And for James and John, they even 'left the boat and their father.'
This is the challenging part of the Gospel. We want the Light, but we don't want the Leaving.
These men didn't just leave a hobby; they left their livelihood. They left their security blanket. They left their identity.
To follow Jesus, you have to let go of what your hands are currently clutching. What is the 'net' you are holding onto today? Is it a 'net' of resentment towards a relative that makes you feel safe because you feel righteous? Is it a 'net' of a bad habit or addiction that comforts you when you are stressed? Is it a 'net' of your own plans, where you tell God, 'Lord, I will follow You, but let me finish this business deal first'?
You cannot hold the hand of Jesus while you are still gripping your nets. Discipleship requires Leaving. It requires the courage to drop the security of the 'old life' to embrace the adventure of the 'new life.'
The third word is Loyalty.
In our Second Reading, St. Paul is upset. He writes to the Corinthians because they have formed factions. They are fighting like political parties. 'I belong to Paul,' says one. 'I belong to Apollos,' says another. 'I belong to Cephas,' says a third.
Paul asks them a ridiculous question: 'Is Christ divided?'
We see this today, don't we? Even in the Church, we have our groups. 'I am with this charismatic group,' 'I am with the traditional Latin mass group,' 'I am with this famous priest.' We become fans of personalities rather than followers of Christ.
St. Paul reminds us that our Loyalty must be to Jesus alone. The Word of God is not meant to divide us; it is meant to unite us. We are all on the same team. We may play different positions, we may have different styles of worship, but we wear the same jersey. We were baptized in the same name.
So, as we celebrate the Sunday of the Word of God, I challenge you to do one thing this week: Open your Bible.
Don't let it just gather dust on your altar or sit unread on your shelf. Read it. Because the Bible is the Light that guides your path. It gives you the courage for Leaving the things that harm you. And it reminds you of your true Loyalty—not to the world, not to a group, but to Jesus Christ, the Savior of us all.
May His Word be a lamp unto your feet this week."
No comments