Sunday 25 January 2026
Lectio Divina:*
Meditatio:
“the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for
those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.’’
(Matthew 4:16
This extract from the
Gospel of St Matthew contains three key movements:
• A setting of the scene through Isaiah’s prophecy, applied directly to
Jesus (vv. 12–16)
• A clarification of Jesus’ mission: what he came to proclaim and to
do—repentance and healing (vv. 17, 23)
• A call to discipleship, addressed to particular individuals and
describing their response (vv. 18–22)
Setting the scene
Matthew writes, among
others, for a Jewish Christian audience. Many who heard or read his testimony
were steeped in the Hebrew story of the promised Messiah and the coming reign
of God. Matthew likely drew on multiple oral traditions—sources shared, in various
forms, by all four evangelists whose writings were later recognised in the
Church’s canon. His citation of Isaiah at the opening of this passage would
have resonated deeply, offering both continuity and insight for those familiar
with the prophetic tradition.
What did Jesus come to
proclaim and do?
Jesus announces the
in-breaking of God’s kingdom—present now and stretching beyond the present
moment. Yet proclamation alone is not the whole story. Jesus also enacts
salvation and liberation in the here and now. Healing and proclamation belong
together; they are two sides of the same coin.
Through his teaching,
proclaiming, and healing, Jesus shows the newly called disciples what life in
the kingdom looks like and what discipleship requires. They are, in the truest
sense, discipuli—learners. We cannot hope to be light for others unless
we ourselves continue to learn from the Word made flesh. Likewise, a teaching
Church must also be a learning Church—learning from its own members, past and
present, and from those outside its fold who may not share its language or
experience.
A call to the first
disciples
Those first called
were ordinary people. They were not Temple officials, scribes, or scholars. If
anything, God’s choice—expressed in Jesus—leaned toward the lower to middle
strata of Palestinian society. Fishing was the livelihood of many around the
Sea of Galilee, and Jesus, having grown up in that region and settled in
Capernaum, likely knew men such as James, John, Andrew, and Simon (later called
Peter). He had probably watched them at work and recognised in them the right
people for the right mission at the right moment.
They may have been
rough around the edges—headstrong, opinionated, prone to rivalry, and
unfamiliar with the refinements of Jerusalem’s elite. Yet these “country folk”
were precisely the ones chosen, even though they would later falter and flee
for a time. The key point is this: the disciples were called as they
were.
Matthew tells us that
Simon and Andrew “left their nets and followed him,” while James and John
“immediately left the boat and their father, and followed him.” They left
livelihood and family, at least for a time, trusting without knowing where the
path would lead. Why did they do this? What stirred them to such decisive
action? The Gospels offer no explicit explanation. Perhaps they had already
encountered Jesus. Perhaps John the Baptist’s preaching had prepared their
hearts. Whatever the cause, their response was immediate. There was no delay,
no prolonged discernment. The kingdom was at hand.
History suggests that
many of these first disciples eventually faced persecution and death because of
their commitment. The second key point follows: the disciples responded in
the present moment. Their example sets a pattern for all future
disciples—not only those called to particular ministries. The call comes now,
not in some imagined future or under ideal conditions. Today. Now.
Seven questions to
consider
Might we one day
witness the fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy, echoed by Matthew:
- Where is the gospel being proclaimed today in ways that genuinely address the questions and needs of our time?
- How is this good news being communicated—primarily as threat, or as invitation to something greater?
- Are those who proclaim it credible witnesses, living what they preach?
- What does discipleship mean today, and how does it relate to the many forms of ministry within the churches?
- As more people step away from organised religion—or never approach it at all—how do they seek meaning, identity, connection, truth, and values?
- Are our current parish or congregational models fit for purpose? In other words, are our liturgy, ministry, and structures serving the mission?
- What, then, are we called to do?
“the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.’’ (Matthew 4:16)
Oratio
Collect of the Word
God of light and
truth,
whose dawn breaks upon those who dwell in darkness
and whose voice calls us into the fellowship of your Son,
shine upon our hearts with the radiance of Christ’s presence.
Gather us into unity, heal our divisions,
and make us ready to leave behind whatever holds us back
from following Jesus in the way of the kingdom.
As your Word summons us today,
grant us courage to respond at once,
that our lives may proclaim your good news
and reflect the light that no darkness can overcome.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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