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. Biblically, light is revelation - God making Himself known. Already here, we see the logic of the Word of God: before God asks us to act, He first reveals; before He demands change, He offers presence.

That prophecy comes alive in the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus deliberately begins His ministry not in Jerusalem, the religious center, but in Galilee - ordinary, mixed, and often despised. This is crucial. The Word of God does not wait for perfect conditions; it enters real life as it is. Matthew tells us that Jesus’ first proclamation is simple yet demanding: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Repentance here is not mere moral regret; the Greek word metanoia means a radical change of mind and direction. The Word calls us to see differently, judge differently, and live differently.

Immediately after proclaiming the Word, Jesus calls. “Come after me.” Notice the order: proclamation first, vocation next. The Word creates disciples. Peter, Andrew, James, and John are not theologians or scribes; they are fishermen, busy with their nets. Yet the Word meets them in their work and asks for a response. Their reaction is striking: “At once they left their nets and followed him.” This does not mean they despised their work; it means they recognized that when the Word of God speaks, nothing can remain absolute - not even what sustains us.

Here, the Sunday of the Word of God challenges us personally. We often treat Scripture as something to consult occasionally - for comfort, argument, or inspiration. But the Church insists today that the Word must become central: proclaimed clearly, listened to reverently, prayed with attentively, and lived concretely. The Word of God is not fulfilled when it is read; it is fulfilled when it is lived; when it reshapes our choices.

Saint Paul’s concern in the Second Reading - divisions within the community - also flows from this truth. When the Word of God no longer unites us, we begin to rally around personalities, preferences, and parties. But when Christ is truly heard, the Church regains one voice and one heart. This is particularly important in this week when the Church prays for the unity of Christians.

Ultimately, today reminds us that Christianity is not founded on an idea but on a voice - the voice of the Word made flesh. That Word still walks by the shores of our daily lives, still speaks into our darkness, and still says, “Come after me.” The question is not whether God is speaking. The real question is whether we are willing, like the first disciples, to listen and to leave our nets behind.