Matthew 4:12-23

Epiphany 3 – Year A

Matthew 4:12-23

Jesus changes homes in response to John the Baptizer's arrest. In Capernaum, Jesus finds a location for the beginning of enlightenment. In a rising light, a call for repentance is proclaimed.

From this "other" place, Jesus goes about Galilee teaching, proclaiming (repentance as the good news?), and curing.

In between the journey from Nazareth to Capernaum and engaging his ministry there he picks up some folks who needed a great light in their lives – Peter and Andrew, James and John.

Some questions: How bad does it have to get before you will change homes, change your life? How bad does it have to get before "repentance" becomes a necessary, energizing, and redemptive message? How bad does it have to get before you find your voice? How bad does it have to get before investing in an intentional community to transform itself, the locale in which it finds itself, and the whole of creation?

These negative sounding questions reflect the state of our current world. What has kept us from making significant changes? Is it something that needs to get worse before repentance becomes an option? (A question for another comment - Is it something that needs to get clearer/better, a call?) For now, what needs to go further awry before we will change our lens, our home, our viewpoint?