3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time and Sunday of the Word of God– January 25, 2026

 3^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time and Sunday of the Word of God– January 25, 2026

Isaiah 8:23–9:3; 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17; Matthew 4:12–23

 

Theme: The Continued Reading of the Bible Helps us to Stay United with God and with Each Other

 

A.   A Brief Exegetical Analysis of Matthew 4:12-23

 

1.       Historical and Literary Contexts

Our Gospel passage, including vv. 24-25, which the lectionary has omitted, marks the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry in Galilee. Matthew aims to show that Jesus' ministry fulfills the Old Testament prophecies. This passage is immediately preceded by the account of Jesus’ triple temptation in the desert by Satan (4:1-11) and followed by the Beatitudes (5:1-12) in the Sermon on the Mount. 

 

2.      Form, Structure, and Movement

Our Gospel passage is a narrative divided into three movements: Jesus’ initial preaching in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali (vv. 12-17), the calling of the first four disciples (vv. 18-22), and the success of Jesus’ ministry (vv. 23-25).

 

3.      Detailed Analysis

Vv. 12-17. It seems strange that Jesus withdrew to Galilee upon hearing of his cousin’s arrest. Was Jesus not concerned about John the Baptist's suffering? However, this is not the focus of Matthew's narrative. By mentioning John the Baptist’s arrest here, the evangelist intends to show that Jesus takes up the mission where John the Baptist left off (see Jn 3:22-23; 4:1-3).^[1]

Jesus now lives in Capernaum by the sea, a fishing village northwest of the Sea of Galilee. In vv. 13-16, Matthew accommodates Jesus’s move to Capernaum to Isaiah’s prophecy about the light rising upon Zebulun and Naphtali, the story we heard in our first reading. He understands the Mediterranean Sea of Isaiah’s oracle as the Sea of Galilee.^[2] Also, while Capernaum was only in the region of Naphtali, Matthew tells his readers that it was also in the region of Zebulun (see Josh 19:10-16; 19:32-39). Zebulun and Naphtali were the first regions the Assyrians destroyed and incorporated into the Assyrian provincial system after they invaded the northern kingdom of Israel in 732 B.C. (see Is 8:22–9:3; 2 Kgs 15:29).^[3] By making Jesus start his public ministry in these two regions and by accommodating this rearrangement, Matthew wants his readers to know that Jesus’ mission fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy about reunifying Israel and bringing them the “great light.” The mention of “Galilee of the Gentiles” in v. 15 foreshadows the expansion of Jesus’ mission to the Gentiles (see Mt 28:16-20).^[4]

The expression “From that time on” (v. 17) marks an essential transition, signaling the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. The topic of Jesus’ first preaching (v. 17) matches that of John the Baptist (Mt 3:2), but with a different meaning: The kingdom of heaven has not begun in John the Baptist’s preaching but in Jesus’. Unlike Mark and Luke, Matthew uses “kingdom of heaven” instead of “kingdom of God.” He substitutes the name “God” with “heaven” because he addressed his Book mainly to the Jewish Christians, and the devout Jews of his time avoided pronouncing the name God out of reverence. In either case, the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God is not a location but the effective reign of God over his people.

Vv. 18-22: The call of the first four disciples. Matthew emphasizes some key characteristics of discipleship in this account to help his readers reflect on their own response to Jesus’ call. (1) It is Jesus who initiates the invitation. (2) Jesus encounters these four men in their daily work (fishing). (3) Because he calls them to an active mission, Jesus does not condition his calling to an intellectual assent. (4) Totality and immediacy: These four men immediately left everything (and their parents in the case of John and James) and followed Jesus.

Vv. 23-25: The success of Jesus’ first preaching. Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the kingdom and cured every disease and illness among the people. As a result, his fame spread, and great crowds followed him. The expression “their synagogues” rather than “the synagogues” in v. 23 conveys the conflict between Matthew’s predominantly Jewish Christians and Jews who did not believe in Jesus.

 

4.      Synthesis

Jesus begins his first public ministry in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, the same areas the Assyrians destroyed in 732 B.C. Isaiah prophesied about these regions (see Is 8:22–9:3), indicating that his mission fulfills Isaiah’s oracle and reunites Israel. This mission calls the people to repent because the kingdom of heaven has begun with him. Recognizing he needs help to build this kingdom, he calls his first four disciples. These men immediately leave everything, including their families, to follow Jesus. With his newly called disciples, he travels throughout Galilee, teaching, preaching, and healing the sick. As a result, his fame spreads everywhere, drawing great crowds that follow him. 

 

B.    Pastoral Implications

1. Liturgical Context

“Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ” (Saint Jerome). In his Apostolic Letter, Motu Proprio “Aperuit Illis”, published on September 30, 2019, Pope Francis establishes that “the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time is to be devoted to the celebration, study, and dissemination or sharing of the Word of God. Today is the World Sunday of the Word of God. We recognize the centrality of God’s Word in the life of the Church and our families. Today’s Scripture readings tell us that Jesus’s mission, which is also our mission today, is to build the kingdom of heaven (Gospel), to bring the great light to where we live (first reading), and to restore unity with God and one another (second reading).

 2. What the Church Teaches Us

Let us first analyze our first reading to understand what the Church tries to teach us today. Isaiah served as God’s prophet for about forty years in the Southern kingdom of Judah. During that time, he witnessed the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel by the Syrians in 733 B.C. and the Assyrians in 732 B.C. When Isaiah delivered the prophecy of our first reading, Ahaz, the king of the Southern kingdom of Judah, was facing considerable pressure from Syria and the Northern kingdom of Israel to team up with them against Assyria. When Ahaz refused their demand, Syria and Israel invaded Judah with a plan to unseat Ahaz. This event is known as the Syro-Ephraimite War (735-732 B.C.) The Assyrians made this plan ineffective. In 732 B.C., they invaded the northern kingdom by first destroying Zebulun and Naphtali, the two regions Isaiah mentioned in our first reading (Is 8:23), which Matthew refers to in our Gospel (Mt 4:13). In 721, they deported the people of Israel and devastated the entire northern kingdom. Meanwhile, the southern kingdom of Judah became a vessel of Assyria. This truly was a dark period in the history of Judah. After the north, the Assyrians conquered the “land west of the Jordan” (or beyond), which our first reading names “the district of the Gentiles” (Some translations read “Galilee of the Nations) (Is 8:23). In this context, Isaiah, in our first reading, prophesizes that the people of Israel who experienced this dark moment and lived in a land of gloom would see a great light shine upon them as God would smash the yoke that burned them, the pole on their shoulders, and the rod of their taskmaster.

While the image of Israel’s bondage by the Assyrians is political, this situation explains how many people today are in bondage to sin and to Satan. Today, we see the “gloom” that comes from being addicted to behaviors and actions that harm our relationship with God and one another. The gloom extinguishes our love for God and our neighbor. Moreover, beyond the material and physical powers of Assyrians, there are spiritual “Assyrian” powers (demons) in our world that continue to devastate our spiritual lives. The devil incites us to sin as he aims to separate us from God and our Church Community and bring darkness and gloom into our lives. Our societies and families need spiritual freedom from the devil's bondage. The prophet Isaiah prophesied and reassured his people and us that one day, God will restore hope to Israel and us today. He saw our gloom and darkness turning to light and joy and the yoke, pole, and rod of the oppressors being smashed as on the day of Midian (Is 9:1-3). The “yoke,” “pole,” and “rod” were the symbols of Assyrian oppression. Today, they are the symbols of the devil’s oppression of addictions, racism, social injustice, and immoral practices that lead people to commit immoral actions. The mention of “the day of Midian” refers to Gideon's stunning defeat of the Midianite tribes (see Judges 6-8).

By telling us that Jesus began his public ministry in Zebulun and Naphtali, the same regions we heard about in our first reading, Matthew wants to teach us that Jesus’s mission is to fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy of our first reading. Jesus came to reunify Israel and all of us. Since the bondage that Isaiah talked about in our first reading was more spiritual than political, which refers to the bondage to sin, the first-ever preaching of Jesus calls us to repentance to be freed from the bondage of sins and to start a new life with him in the kingdom of heaven that he came to establish.

We cannot fully enjoy the reign of God while our brothers and sisters remain in the darkness of sin and under the influence of the devil's spiritual power. This is why Jesus called his first four disciples and continues to call us today to collaborate with him in building the heavenly kingdom on earth. Matthew highlights several key characteristics of discipleship in this account to encourage us to reflect on our own response to Jesus’ call: (1) Jesus initiates the invitation to discipleship. (2) He encounters these four men and each of us in our daily work. (3) Since he calls them and us to an active mission, Jesus does not require intellectual assent for his calling. (4) Totality and immediacy: These four men immediately left everything behind (including their parents, in the case of John and James) to follow Jesus. Likewise, let us respond to Jesus’ call with immediacy and total dedication.

 Jesus calls us to make us the “fishers” of our brothers and sisters by bringing Jesus’s great light wherever the devil spreads the darkness. Where there is the darkness of division, racism, injustice, sadness, lack of peace, and immoral practices and actions, we are called to bring Jesus’ great light of unity, justice, love, joy, and peace. We are made “fishers” of our brothers and sisters to denounce with courage all immoral laws that lead people to sinful practices and actions. Our mission as Jesus’ disciples is to help the people in our societies and families live in unity with God and one another in peace. This is the mission Saint Paul deals with in our second reading.

In the next several weeks, our second readings will be taken from Saint Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians. Today’s passage is the beginning of the body of this letter. Immediately following the Thanksgiving in the introduction (vv. 1-9), Paul commences his letter by exhorting his people to unity because the Corinthian church was divided. The reading says that Chloe’s people reported to Paul about the division among the Corinthians. Some Bible scholars affirm that these people were the employees or slaves of Chloe, who was an otherwise unknown businesswoman. Chloe and her servants were followers of Jesus. Apparently, the servants visited the Community of Corinth on their business trip, then heard about the divisions among the people and probably witnessed them firsthand. Then they reported to Paul what they had seen and heard. These divisions are based on the allegiances that the people formed around their spiritual leaders: Paul, Apollos, Cephas (Peter), and Christ. Paul teaches them that their divisions do not make sense because Christ is not divided. All people belong to Christ. Our communities, societies, and families also face divisions today, although we all claim to be the children of the same Father, God. We should not be divided if we believe in the same God and accept Jesus as our savior. God is one, and the Church of Jesus is one. Therefore, we are called to be one in the Lord Jesus Christ.

May the liturgy of this Mass enable us to repent, respond to Jesus’ call, and become familiar with the Word of God. When we do all these, we can bring Jesus’ great light into our lives and restore unity with God and one another. Amen. 

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church in Jackson, MS &

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator

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[1] Barbara E. Reid, The Gospel According to Matthew, 29.

[2] See NABRE, note to Is 8:23.

[3] NABRE, note to Is 8:23.

[4] Barbara E. Reid, The Gospel According to Matthew, 30.

2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time A – January 18, 2026

 2^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time A – January 18, 2026

Is 49:3, 5-6; 1Cor 1:1-3; John 1:29-34

 

Theme: Jesus is the Lamb of God who Takes Away our Sin

 

A.    A Brief Exegetical Analysis of John 1:29-34

 

1. Historical and Literary Contexts

Our Gospel passage is John the Baptist’s testimony about Jesus. It is the second of the four stories that compose the section on the testimony of John the Baptist about the Messiah and Jesus’ self-revelation to the first disciples (1:19-51). The first story, John’s testimony about himself (1:19-23), immediately precedes our text, and the two other stories, Jesus’ self-revelation to Andrew and Peter (1:35-42) and later to Philip and Nathanael (1:43-51) follow it. The evangelist intends to reveal Jesus’ divine identity in all these four stories.

    

2. Form, Structure, and Movement

Our Gospel text is a narrative. It can be divided into two parts. The first part (vv. 29-31) focuses on Jesus’ identification as the “Lamb of God” and “Preexistent,” and the second part (vv. 32-34) emphasizes Jesus as the Son of God.

 

3. Detailed Analysis

Vv. 29-31. Jesus plays no active role. He simply comes toward John the Baptist, who identifies him as the Lamb of God, who takes away the world’s sin (v. 29). There are different interpretations of the title “Lamb of God” that John the Baptist attributes to Jesus.^[1] First, this title can allude to a powerful and victorious lamb depicted in the Book of Revelation. The author of this book reports seeing in a vision a Lamb standing before God’s throne (Rev 5:6) and presiding over an army of God’s holy ones (Rev 14:1-5). Second, the “Lamb of God” title can refer to the Jewish day of atonement called “Yom Kippur.” On that day, the Jews sacrifice an animal and offer it at the Jerusalem temple for the sins of the people. Third, the “Lamb of God” alludes to the Passover Lamb in the Exodus story. On the night before the last plague, Moses, by the recommendation of God, asked each family of Israel to slaughter a one-year-old unblemished lamb and put its blood on the lintels and doorposts of their houses. That night, the angel of death killed all firstborn males (human and beast) of the Egyptians but “passed over” the Israelites because their homes were marked with the “blood of the lamb” (see Exodus 12:1-36). Therefore, by pointing to Jesus as “the Lamb of God,” John the Baptist predicts that Jesus will die on the cross and that his blood will take away the sins of the world. According to biblical thought, only God takes away or forgives sin. Hence, Jesus’ identification as the Lamb “of God” means that Jesus comes from God. It is through him that God will take away the world’s sin.^[2]

John the Baptist also identifies Jesus as the preexistent one when he declares that Jesus existed before him (v. 30). This develops the theme the evangelist mentioned in the prologue, that Jesus is the Word that was with God in the beginning (see Jn 1:1). I did not know him (v. 31a) means the divine identity of Jesus was not known to Israel, including himself John the Baptist. That is why the purpose of his baptism is not for repentance as is the case in the Synoptics, but revelatory: that Jesus “might be known to Israel.” (V. 31b).

Vv. 32-34: This second part continues John the Baptist’s testimonies, emphasizing Jesus as the Son of God. He bases his argument on events related to Jesus's baptism, which the evangelist John did not report in his Gospel. His readers probably knew about these events from the Synoptic Gospels. These events are the descent of the Spirit upon Jesus after being baptized and the revelation John the Baptist had received from God before he baptized Jesus, which says, “On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the holy Spirit.” (See vv. 32-33).

 

4. Synthesis

God reveals himself in Jesus through John the Baptist’s testimony about Jesus. John the Baptist testified that Jesus is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the World, and he existed before him. The title Lamb of God can be interpreted as the powerful and victorious lamb depicted in the book of Revelation (see Rev. 14:1-5), or the Jewish day of atonement called “Yom Kippur,” and or the Passover Lamb in the Exodus story (see Exodus 12:1-36). Therefore, by pointing to Jesus as “the Lamb of God,” John the Baptist predicts that Jesus will die on the cross and his blood will take away the sins of the world. Since the Biblical Tradition teaches that it is God alone who can forgive sins, so, by pointing to Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and by emphasizing Jesus’ pre-existence, John the Baptist confirms that Jesus is from God, and he is God. John the Baptist baptized the people to reveal Jesus’ divine identity. He uses the Spirit that descended upon Jesus after he baptized him and the revelation he had received from God before he baptized Jesus, which says, “On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the holy Spirit,” as arguments to confirm that Jesus is the Son of God.

  

B.     Pastoral Implications

 

1. Liturgical Context

The feast of the Baptism of our Lord, celebrated last Sunday, marked the end of the Christmas season and the beginning of the liturgical season known as “Ordinary Time.” The liturgy of this Second Sunday in Ordinary Time is connected to the Epiphany and Baptism of our Lord celebrations of the Christmas season. The early Church identified three specific events that reveal Jesus’ divine nature, and the modern Lectionary and liturgical calendar group them together in three successive celebrations. The first event is the Visit of the Magi, which we celebrated on Epiphany Sunday (Jan. 4, 2026). The second is the Baptism of the Lord, which we commemorated last Sunday. The third event is what we celebrate today, the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, during which we read Jn 1:29–2:11, divided into three Liturgical Years. In Year A, we read John the Baptist’s testimony about Jesus (Jn 1:29-34); in Year B, we meditate on Jesus’ self-revelation to the first disciples (Jn 1:35-42); and in Year C, we reflect on the Wedding at Cana (Jn 2:1-11). The common thread among these three Sunday celebrations (Epiphany, Baptism of the Lord, and the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time) is God’s self-manifestation in Jesus to us, his people. Focusing on today’s liturgy, the Scripture readings speak of God’s self-revelation in the unnamed “servant of the Lord” (first reading) and in Jesus (Gospel). Like John the Baptist (Gospel) and Saint Paul (second reading), we are called to experience this self-manifestation of God in Jesus through the sacraments and to testify to it to our brothers and sisters.  

 

2. What The Church Teaches Us Today    

In our first reading, it is not the “servant of the Lord” who reveals the glory of God, but God himself who reveals his glory through the “servant of the Lord.” This continues the Epiphany teaching we heard in the previous two Sundays’ liturgies, the magi's visitation and the Baptism of our Lord. It was not the magi who discovered the divine identity of the Baby Jesus, but God, who revealed himself to them through the newborn Jesus. Likewise, in the Baptism of Jesus, it was not John the Baptist who discerned the divinity of the person he baptized, but God himself, who revealed to him that Jesus is God’s Son. Likewise, in today’s Gospel, John the Baptist does not reveal Jesus’ divine identity but testifies to God’s self-revelation in Jesus.

Like John the Baptist, Saint Paul also testified in our second reading to God’s self-manifestation in Jesus. He calls himself “an apostle,” meaning the one who is sent. He states that it is by God's will that he has been given this mission to make Jesus known to the people of Corinth. Today, God continues to reveal himself in Jesus through the sacraments, especially Confession and Eucharist. Our Holy Mother Church exhorts us to be the John the Baptist and the Saint Paul of our time, continuing to testify to God’s self-revelation in Jesus. To do so, we first need to experience God’s presence in Jesus through the sacraments, particularly Confession and Eucharist, and then minister to our brothers and sisters so that they, too, come to experience it. Amen.

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Church in Jackson, MS &

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator

 

 

 

 

 

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[1] For further interpretation of the title “The Lamb of God,” see Francis J. Moloney, The Gospel of John, 59.

[2] Francis J. Moloney, The Gospel of John, 59.

The Baptism of the Lord – Jan. 11, 2026

 

The Baptism of the Lord – Jan. 11, 2026

Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7; Acts 10:34-38; Matthew 3:13-17

 

Theme:  Jesus is God’s Self-Manifestation

 A. A Brief Exegetical Analysis of Matthew 3:13-17

 

1.      Historical and Literary Contexts

The story of Jesus’ baptism is preceded by John the Baptist's preaching (3:1-12) and followed by Jesus’ temptation (4:1-11). In this account of Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist, Matthew prepares his readers to recognize that Jesus, who will soon begin his public ministry (see 4:12-17), is equipped by the Holy Spirit, and that God’s voice proclaims him the Son of God. 

 

2.      Form, Structure, and Movement

This narrative passage can be divided into two movements. The first movement (vv. 13-15) reports the dialogue between Jesus and John the Baptist regarding Jesus’ request for baptism by John. The second movement (vv. 16-17) covers the events after the baptism.

 

3.      Detailed Analysis

Vv. 13-15. This first movement records the dialogue between Jesus and John the Baptist about Jesus’ request for baptism. Matthew is the only evangelist who recounts this dialogue. There are at least two problems in understanding Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist. The first is that John had previously claimed Jesus was mightier than he was (see Mt 3:11), so why does Jesus appear subordinate here? The second difficulty is that Matthew’s readers were told that Jesus was born sinless, so why does Jesus request John’s baptism of repentance here? The answers to these two questions are found in Jesus' reply to John the Baptist: “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (V. 15). Fulfill and Righteousness are two keywords for understanding Jesus’ baptism better.

Indeed, Jesus is sinless; therefore, he did not need a baptism of repentance. His baptism here is not for the forgiveness of sin but rather to set an example for others. John the Baptist confirms this when he tries to prevent Jesus from being baptized by him. “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” (V. 14). He believes that Jesus is without sin; consequently, Jesus does not need to undergo baptism for repentance, which he administers. Jesus’ baptism here is not for repentance but for the fulfillment of all righteousness. This means that through this baptism, Jesus submits himself to God’s plan, which involves his identification with sinners for the salvation of humanity.^[1] This demonstrates Jesus’ total obedience to God’s will.

Vv. 16-17 report three events after Jesus’ baptism: First, the heavens were opened for Jesus. This indicates a moment of direct communication between humans and the divine. Second, the Spirit of God descended like a dove and came upon Jesus. This recalls Isaiah’s messianic prophecies, “The Spirit of the Lord shall upon him.” (Is 11:2; cf. 61:1). Third, a voice from the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” In Mark (1:11) and Luke (3:22), the voice is directed only to Jesus: “You are my beloved Son.” In Matthew, however, with the expression “This is” instead of “You are,” the divine revelation is directed to all.^[2] Israel, God’s beloved possession in the Old Testament, is replaced by God’s relationship with Jesus, which reveals Jesus as the New and Last Covenant. All of God’s promises of the Old Testament are fulfilled in Jesus. This baptism of Jesus marks the third time God reveals himself to the people. The previous two times were at Jesus’ birth (Mt 1:23) and the visit of the Magi (Mt 2:1-12).

  

4.      Synthesis

Jesus is sinless; therefore, he does not need baptism for repentance. However, he seeks baptism from John not for the forgiveness of sins but for the fulfillment of all righteousness. This means that through his baptism, Jesus fully submits to God’s plan, which includes his identification with sinners for the salvation of humankind. After his baptism, three divine events occurred: the heavens were opened, the Spirit of God descended upon Jesus like a dove, and a heavenly voice declared Jesus to be God’s beloved Son. These three divine events attest to God’s self-revelation through Jesus.  

B. Pastoral Implication

 

1.                           1. Liturgical Context

The early Church identified three specific events that reveal Jesus’ divine nature, which the modern Lectionary and liturgical calendar maintain together in three successive celebrations. The first event is the visit of the Magi that we celebrated last Sunday (Epiphany). The second is the Baptism of the Lord that we celebrate today. The third event is celebrated on the Sunday following the Lord's baptism (the second Sunday in Ordinary Time). It is John the Baptist revealing Jesus as the Lamb of God (Jn 1:29-34 read in the liturgical calendar A and Jn 1:35-42 read in the liturgical calendar B) and the story of the Wedding at Cana (Jn 2:1-11 read in the liturgical calendar C). The common point of these three Sunday celebrations is God’s self-manifestation to us, his people. Focusing on today’s liturgy, after Jesus was baptized, the heavens were opened, the Holy Spirit descended upon him, and God’s voice declared him to be his Beloved Son (the Gospel). This attests that Jesus is the unnamed “servant” whom the prophet Isaiah prophesied about in our first reading. In the second reading, Peter confirms this. For him, God’s revelation of his salvific plan for the world through Israel culminated in Jesus.

 

2.                              2. What the Church Teaches Us Today

 Jesus’ baptism fulfills the Scriptures, notably Isaiah’s prophecy, which we heard in our first reading. In this reading, Isaiah speaks of an unnamed “servant” whom God declares his chosen one, with whom God is pleased and upon whom he puts his spirit (Is 42:1). In our Gospel, God’s voice declares Jesus to be his beloved Son. The Tradition teaches us that Jesus is this unnamed “servant,” and that he came into this world to accomplish God’s promises foretold by the prophets of the Old Testament. In the second part of our first reading, Isaiah describes the ministry of this unnamed “servant:” “He will faithfully bring forth justice… the coastlands will wait for his teaching” (vv. 3, 4). The coastlands allude to all the nations, including the Gentile territories. This description is identical to the mission and ministry of Jesus. Therefore, Jesus is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. This is the content of Peter’s address to the Gentiles in the house of the Gentile Cornelius, which we heard in our second reading.

Peter begins our second reading passage by affirming that God’s choice of Israel did not mean God withheld divine favor from other people (vv. 34-35). He then speaks of Jesus, somehow summarizing our Gospel and first readings. He evokes the baptism of Jesus and the descent of the Holy Spirit upon him, which alludes to our Gospel (Acts 10:37-38a), and his description of Jesus’ ministry of doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil (Acts 10:38b) connects us to the ministry of the “servant” in our first reading (see Is 42:3-4). For Peter, Jesus’ ministry reveals God’s salvific plan for the world's destiny through Israel.

Through these Scripture readings, our Holy Mother Church teaches us that Jesus, whose birth we celebrated a few days ago, is God’s self-manifestation among us, his people. His mission is to save not only the “chosen people, Israel,” but the whole world. To be saved, we must believe in him, fear him, and act uprightly (Acts 10:35). May this liturgy of the Mass enable us to do so. Amen.

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church in Jackson, MS &

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator   

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[1] NABRE, note to Matthew 3:14-15.

[2] Barbara E. Reid, The Gospel According to Matthew, 25.

The Epiphany of the Lord – Jan. 4, 2026

 

The Epiphany of the Lord – Jan. 4, 2026

Isaiah 60:1-6; Ephesians 3:2-3a; 5-6; Matthew 2:1-12.

 

Theme: We are Called to Be the Epiphany of Jesus, Just as Jesus is the Epiphany of God

 A. A Brief Exegetical Analysis of Matthew 2:1-12

 

1.      Historical and Literary Contexts

According to Brown’s setting of the Gospel of Matthew, our text is situated in the first section called “Introduction: Origin and Infancy of Jesus the Messiah,” which forms the prologue of the Gospel (1:1 – 2:23).^[1] This prologue consists of a genealogy (1:1-17) and five stories. Our text comes immediately after the story of the “birth of Jesus” (1:18-25), and it is followed by the “flight to Egypt” (2:13-15,) the “massacre of the Infant” (2:16-18,) and the “return from Egypt” (2:19-23) which concludes the section. Through this infancy narrative, the narrator presents the coming of Jesus as the climax of Israel’s history and the events of his conception, birth, and early childhood as the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy.^[2]

 

2.      Form, Structure, and Movement

Our text is a narrative story. It can be structured in three movements. First, the narrator puts in the scene the magi who need further information on where the newborn king is born, Herod and all Jerusalem who become troubled in hearing this information, and the chief priests and scribes from whom Herod got information regarding what the Old Testament prophets wrote about the Messiah (vv. 1-6). Second, the narrator tells Herod's request to the magi (vv. 7-8) and the encounter of the magi with the Infant Jesus and his parents (vv. 9-11). Third, the story concludes with the magi departing for their country, not returning to Herod, but in another way (v.12).

 

3.      Detailed Analysis

Vv. 1-6.  V.1. In the days of King Herod: From the beginning of his account of the birth of Jesus, Matthew immediately puts it in relationship to broader political and social events.^[3] Herod: This is Herod the Great, who reigned from 37 to 4 B.C. He was a vassal king under the Roman emperor. Magi: They were a caste of wise men who were associated with the interpretation of dreams, astrology, Zoroastrianism, and magic. They became kings in later Christian tradition under the influence of Psalm 72:10; Isaiah 49:7; 60:10. Their names eventually are Caspar, Balthasar, and Melchior. They were understood as representatives of the Gentile world in all its racial diversity who come to Christ.^[4] “From the East”: This was probably East Syria, Persia, or Arabia.

V. 2. King of the Jews: Jesus is the royal Messiah, so he is the king of the Jews. We saw his star: The stars were associated with special births, such as the births of Alexander the Great and Augustus. This one in Matthew’s account evokes Balaam’s messianic prophecy of a star arising from Jacob (Numbers 24:17), although Balaam’s star does not mean an astral phenomenon but the king himself. Modern Bible scholars have often thought about an astronomical explanation. Boxall argues that the peculiarities of this star in Matthew’s Gospel suggest that the narrator imagines an angelic being (cf. Job 38:7).^[5]

V. 3. The news about the Newborn King Jesus troubled Herod greatly. Matthew tells us that “all Jerusalem” was troubled along with him. That was not good news for Herod, who did not want anyone to threaten his power. Note that Herod was extremely paranoid. He had such control over his subjects that they were too afraid to show any disloyalty to him. When Matthew says that all people in Jerusalem were afraid along with Herod, this does not mean that they worry about the power of their king Herod. Instead, they worried about their peace because they knew that when Herod was distressed, people would die.

Vv.4-6. The chief priests, who were senior members of the Jerusalem priesthood, and the scribes, who had expert knowledge of scripture, informed Herod of where the Messiah was supposed to be born according to the prophecy of Micah (see Micah 2:6; 5:1-2). Matthew or Christian scribes reworked this quotation. They identified “Bethlehem” as the “land of Judah”. They changed “clans of Judah” to “rulers of Judah” to bring out the messianic point. They added “who will shepherd my people Israel,” which is taken from 2 Samuel 5:2 and 1 Chronicles 11:2. They also transform “least” into “by no means least,” which describes Bethlehem’s new prominence following Christ’s birth.^[6]

Vv. 7-8. Herod does not have any intention to do homage to the Infant Jesus. Instead, his strategy is to find out where he was born so that he can execute him.

Vv. 9-11. The list of gold, frankincense, and myrrh suggests prophetic fulfillment (see Isaiah 60:6, 11, 13). Gold signifies that the newborn Jesus is a King. Frankincense means that Jesus is God. Myrrh is associated with royalty, priestly anointing, and mainly with the burial of the dead, which overshadows Christ’s redemptive passion and burial (see John 19:39).^[7] 

V. 12. The Magi did not return to Herod to inform him where the newborn King Jesus was born as Herod requested. “Having been warned in a dream” suggests a divine revelation attesting to Herod’s intention of killing the Infant Jesus. 

 

4.      Synthesis

Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judah, David’s hometown, during the reign of King Herod. The magi from the east, the representatives of the Gentiles, were led by the star to the place where the newborn King Jesus was born, to do him homage. When the star disappeared from their sight, they stopped in Herod’s territory, Jerusalem, to ask where Jesus, the king of the Jews, was born. Herod became greatly troubled on hearing this news because he did not want anyone to threaten his power. The inhabitants of Jerusalem also became greatly troubled along with Herod, not because they worried about their king’s power, but because they worried about their peace. They knew that when the paranoid Herod was distressed, people would die. Herod assembled all the chief priests and scribes to learn where the Messiah was supposed to be born according to the prophets. In the quotation from the prophet Micah that Matthew reworked, the text informed him that Bethlehem was the town where the Messiah was to be born. He gave this information to the Magi and asked them to bring him word once they found the newborn Jesus, pretending that he, too, would go to do him homage. The magi continued their journey until they reached their destination, where they found Jesus with his mother, Mary. They prostrated themselves and did him homage, then offered him three gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh, signifying the kingship of Jesus, his divinity, and his redemptive passion and death. On their way back home, the magi did not return to Herod as he asked them to because they received a divine revelation that Herod intended to kill the Infant Jesus. 

  

 B. Pastoral Implication

 

1.      Liturgical Context

From its Greek origin: epi, “on, upon,” and phaino, “to appear, to shine,” the word “Epiphany” refers to the divinity of Jesus “shining upon” the world. In other words, Epiphany is the manifestation of Jesus' divine nature. The early Church identified three specific events that reveal Jesus’ divine nature. The modern Lectionary and liturgical calendar maintain them together in three celebrations. (1) The visit of the Magi that we celebrate today. (2) The Baptism of the Lord, which we will celebrate this coming Sunday, January 11^th. (3) The Sunday that follows the Baptism of the Lord (the second Sunday in Ordinary Time) always has either a Gospel passage of the Wedding at Cana (Jn 2:1-11) or John the Baptist’s testimony to Jesus, the section that comes right before the Wedding at Cana (Jn 1:29-42), which all reveal Jesus’ divine identity.  

In our Gospel, Matthew tells us that the first individuals to whom the divinity of Jesus was revealed were not the insiders from the Jewish community but the foreign magi who came from the East. This highlights the universalism of God’s revelation. In our first reading, the Prophet Isaiah already prophesied that caravans of camels shall fill Jerusalem; all from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense, proclaiming the praises of the Lord (Is 60:6). Additionally, in our second reading, Saint Paul confirms this universalism of God’s revelation when he states that through the Gospel, the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus (Eph 3:6). God continues to reveal himself to people from diverse backgrounds. The Church is the visible sign of God’s revelation as it welcomes individuals from all nations and cultures.

 

2.      What the Church Teaches Us Today  

Jesus is God’s Epiphany; he reveals God to us. We are called to be Jesus’s Epiphany. Let us reveal him to our brothers and sisters. This mission requires us first to know, follow, love, and serve Jesus before we can reveal him to others, as the three wise men of our Gospel did. They traveled a long distance to discover where the newborn King was born. No doubt they were tired, but did not give up. They identified the revelatory star and faithfully followed its guidance. Likewise, we should first identify our revelatory stars that lead us to Jesus and second, follow their guidance faithfully.

The Eucharistic celebration (Mass) is the first and most excellent star that draws us closer to our Lord. During Mass, we sit at the same Eucharistic Table with Jesus, listening to him through the Scripture readings and receiving his Body and Blood in the Holy Communion. When the Magi encountered the newborn Jesus, they prostrated themselves, did him homage, and offered him the presents of gold (meaning that Jesus is a King), frankincense (Jesus is a high priest and God), and myrrh (predicting the redemptive Passion and Death of Jesus). The gestures of the Magi and the meaning of their gifts are found in the liturgy of the Eucharist. At Mass, we praise Jesus, our Lord, the king of the universe. He is the Higher Priest who celebrates his own Mass through the human priest. At Mass, we commemorate the Paschal ministry (the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus).

Besides the Mass, reading, sharing, studying, and praying with the Word of God (the Bible) are other stars that lead us to Jesus. Saint Jerome says, “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” Pastoral ministries and charitable works are also our stars. They help us deepen our spiritual relationship with Jesus.

After experiencing the “Epiphany of the Lord” through their mystical contact with Jesus, the Magi departed for their home by a different route, avoiding the path leading them back to Herod, the symbol of sin in this context. During the liturgy of the Mass, a mystical encounter occurs between us and Jesus, prompting a metanoia, or “conversion.” This is why, at the end of the Mass, transformed, we are called to return to our homes by a different spiritual path, which represents the way of conversion. We leave our old life behind and begin anew with Jesus. Consequently, we become the “star” for our brothers and sisters, guiding them to Jesus so that they, too, may sit at the Eucharistic Table with him and experience the “Epiphany of the Lord” in the Mass as we do.

May the liturgy of this Mass help us fulfill our Christian mission of being the Epiphany of Jesus to our brothers and sisters, just as Jesus is God’s Epiphany to us. Amen.

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Church &

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator

 

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[1] Raymon E. Brown, An Introduction to the New Testament, 172.

[2] NABRE, note to Matthew 1: 1-2:23.

[3] Benedict T. Viviano, “The Gospel According to Matthew”, in The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, ed. Raymond E. Brown, S.S., Joseph A. Fitzmyer, S.J., Roland E. Murphy, O. Carm., (Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1990), 635.

[4] Benedict T. Viviano, “The Gospel According to Matthew”, in The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, 635.

[5] Ian Boxall, “Matthew”, in The Jerome Biblical Commentary for the Twenty-First Century. Third Fully Revised Edition, 1176. See also NABRE, note to Matthew 2: 2.

 

[6] Benedict T. Viviano, “The Gospel According to Matthew”, in The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, 636. See also Ian Boxall, “Matthew”, in The Jerome Biblical Commentary for the Twenty-First Century. Third Fully Revised Edition, 1176.

[7] Benedict T. Viviano, “The Gospel According to Matthew”, in The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, 636. See also Ian Boxall, “Matthew”, in The Jerome Biblical Commentary for the Twenty-First Century. Third Fully Revised Edition, 1176-1177.