Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Yr A 2026

Title

Light and Unity in Jesus

Outline

Lots of Christian communities play “early church”

I grew up in one that refused to officially take a name, but simply said that we were an assembly of believers meeting in x chapel (or hall) following “scriptural principles of gathering.” Others, especially house church groups make take a name such as “the Table” and explicitly argue that they are following the practices of the first century church as seen in Acts. The problem is such groups do not agree among themselves on what this principle or practices are and do ignore the fact that they are following their reading of Acts or Paul, works that did not exist until the Christian movement was 20 or more years old. We missed and they missed that Jesus is the source of unity, not division.

Galilee was dark in the first century and its light was Jesus

It was mixed Jew and Gentile with Zippori being a Gentile town Jesus likely helped build and Tiberius being a Gentile city that Jesus never visits. It ruler was Herod Agrippa I, who claimed Jewish credentials, but was appointed and backed by the Romans. Those are some reasons why more than one Messianic revolution broke out in Galilee during Jesus’ lifetime.

Jesus enters this scene that Isaiah calls darkness and brings light, as Isaiah, later quoted in Matthew, says. Jesus deliberately fulfills this prophecy by bringing his type of light: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Change your mind, change your mindset, change your values, for God’s rule is here. He immediately sets about building a structure by calling unlikely men, fishermen, to be first disciples and, from the start, apostles, of a kingdom that revolves around him. After all, “Fishers of men” is what apostles were. And he calls them sovereignly from their livelihood and even from their family as if he were a king or as if he were God. Then he gives a basis for light and joy shining from this good news, i.e. the announcement of a king’s victory, as he cures “every disease and illness among the people.” There was indeed joy when he came to town.

The problem has been that rather than finding unity in Christ Christians later have formed competing groups

One group like the biblical depth of Paul, another the Greek style and rhetorical skill of Apollos, while another preferred the more Jewish leanings Cephas (notice the use of his Aramaic name). These parties still exist today. Still others claimed their understanding of Christ as a party leader. And yet in real historical life Paul, Apollos, and Cephas were all united with one another and in following the one Christ.

No, says Paul, you cannot split Christ. The light is all Jesus Christ, the Lord is all Jesus Christ, the Kingdom is all Jesus Christ. The cross and the sacraments are all Jesus Christ. The issue is not human eloquence but the one Christ on the one cross and his teaching.

This is difficult to live today, but we must

While we should and must accept our separated brethren as brethren and treat them with respect, we must also be gently clear that there is one Church, the based in Jesus and his life and teaching. I prefer when I can not to say I am a Roman Catholic, for that makes it seem a denominational name, but that I am a priest or presbyter the Church that flows down the centuries from Jesus Christ. The eucharist I celebrate is that which he instituted, the baptism I received was into his name, the life I follow is that taught by him through his Church down the ages. And that is our basis of reality.

The difficult part is saying such things at the right time with the right gentle tone in the right language that those separated brethren can hear it and see the light shining and repent and believe the good news.