Reflection for January 3, Monday after Epiphany: Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25

Gospel: Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25

When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: 

Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen.  

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

He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people. His fame spread to all of Syria, and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases and racked with pain, those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics, and he cured them. And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan followed him.

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Reflection:

Do we know that we would be joyful and we would feel complete if we decide to follow Jesus? 

The gospel tells us that great crowds followed Jesus for His healings, miracles and life changing words. And it is still the same today in our time: many of us follow Jesus to be healed by Him, to experience His miracles and to hear His life changing words. This is only the other side or the other half of Jesus. 

The other side/half of Jesus is Jesus who suffered for us. Yes He is God and He could have avoided sufferings yet He chose to suffer out of His love for us. In His humanity there were times that He was praying to God that He be steered out of sufferings. But God prevailed upon Him. Therefore, Jesus humbly followed the mission given to Him by God and that is to die on the cross for our salvation.  

WE should not only follow Jesus for our own selfish interest, we also follow Jesus because we want to partake of His sufferings too! By doing so we would be deepening our friendship and communion with Him. We have to continue to follow Jesus in good times and in bad.  

Go on with your journey with Jesus through your pains, heartaches and sufferings. In His own perfect time He surely will make things right for you. In His own perfect time He will cure all your pains, your heartaches and sufferings. – Marino J. Dasmarinas