26 January 2014 - eyes fixed on jesus

26 January 2014 - eyes fixed on jesus


that there be no divisions among you,
but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose.

We are called to be united in the joy of Christ.  We are called to be united in our desire.  We should want above all else to dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of our life, that we may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD and contemplate his glory.  In other words we should desire to be with the LORD in heaven above all else.  But what can we do about it?  Do we really decide which desires we have and which we don't?  Not as directly as that.  But if we keep our eyes fixed on God he does become our desire more and more.

God himself is our light and our salvation.  He promises to dispel the darkness of Zebulun and Naphtali.  He promises a great light for his people not just in heaven but even now in this life.  Jesus reveals that he himself is this light.  He fulfills the ancient oracle that light will dawn when he "went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali".

This light is not an abstraction.  It is not a construct of "the wisdom of human eloquence, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning."  It is not an abstraction.  It is not human eloquence.  But it is revealed by the preaching of the gospel.  This is why light rising on Zebulun and Naphtali coincides with Jesus beginning to preach.

From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”




When we read Scripture, when we receive the Sacraments, when we pray, when we worship, when we serve God in others, and in so many other ways we gaze upon the light of Jesus.

The longer form of today's gospel would remind us that Jesus extends this ministry through those he calls.  He is the light of the world (cf. Joh. 8:12). But we are called to be the light of the world as well (cf. Mat. 5:14).  Others should be able to gaze upon the light of Jesus in us.  We hear the same call that Peter, Andrew, James, and John hear even if we don't express it in ordinained ministry. 

“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
From the readings today we should realize that it is not supposed to be burdensome to share the good news.  It is more like inviting people to a really good party.  We know that the party is good.  We know that everyone will like it if they just give it a chance.  The work of inviting others shouldn't be work at all.  If we realize just what we are doing keeping silent is the harder thing and inviting others becomes a joy.

You have brought them abundant joy
and great rejoicing,
as they rejoice before you as at the harvest,
as people make merry when dividing spoils.

Clearly, we don't always experience our efforts to evangelize in this way.  Perhaps at such times we are trying to do things on our own.  Perhaps we are trying to be the light apart from Jesus Christ.  Let us come to him and take his yoke upon us.  He is meek and humble of heart and we will find true rest even as we respond to his call.

For the yoke that burdened them,
the pole on their shoulder,
and the rod of their taskmaster
you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.