FROM HEARING THE WORD TO FOLLOWING THE WORD
Homily for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A (Sunday of the Word of God) Fr. Ugochukwu Ugwoke, ISch Isaiah 8:23-9:3; 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17; Matthew 4:23 A young man once told me, “Father, I read the Bible, but sometimes it feels like the Bible is reading me.” That simple remark captures the heart of today’s celebration. On this Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, which the Church also marks as the Sunday of the Word of God, we are reminded that the Word of God is not a dead text from the past but a living voice that seeks us out, interrupts our routines, and calls us into a new way of life. The First Reading from Isaiah sets the tone: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” Darkness in Scripture is not only about suffering or sin; it is also about confusion, fear, and meaninglessness. Isaiah speaks to a people who felt forgotten, marginalized, and overshadowed by loss. Into that situation, God does not first send explanations or strategies; He sends light. B...
