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January 25, 2026
Jesus, in the Gospel this week, hearing of the arrest of John the Baptist, flees Nazareth and goes to live in Capernaum, in northern Galilee. Jesus’ traveling from Nazareth to the Northern part of Galilee was both an escape from harassment by the Roman authorities and a courageous step in beginning His public ministry.
In his Gospel, St. Matthew used the original names for the region, mentioning Zebulun and Naphtali.
This is significant because this area was formerly part of the Northern region of Israel. Jesus, in beginning His public ministry, didn’t go to the center of Judaism, the city of Jerusalem. Rather, in an unusual turn, He traveled to the periphery, to the lost sheep of Israel. In doing so, He fulfilled the prophecy mentioned in Isaiah in the First Reading, “First the Lord degraded the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali; but in the end he has glorified the seaward road,...The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone.” (Isaiah 8:23-9:1) The area of Zebulun and Naphtali and the Northern Kingdom of Israel were conquered by the Assyrians in 734 BC. Consequently, many of the Israelites who lived there and were members of the ten tribes of Israel living in that region were forced into exile in Assyria. This dramatically reduced the remaining Jewish population in Galilee, and at the time of Christ, the region was half pagan practicing.
It was there, in what was formerly considered part of the twelve tribes of Israel, that Jesus began His public ministry. He traveled to that which was broken and most in need. Unlike what many expected at the time, that the Messiah would begin His ministry by publicly preaching in the Temple in Jerusalem, Christ didn’t immediately go to the center of Jewish worship. He was sent to gather that which was lost.
The same is true in our lives. Christ doesn’t just come to meet us when we are in Church or are in times of formal prayer. While these are heightened experiences of His presence with us and central to our life of faith, Jesus comes to meet us where we are most in need, in our struggles, difficulties, sinfulness and temptations. He comes to us and provides us with the grace of His transforming presence within us. He goes to those places where we would not immediately expect to find Him, bringing healing and restoration. In addition, Christ often comes to us in many different disguises, sometimes as a stranger in need, a co-worker or a family member. Are we willing and ready to receive Christ in whatever way He chooses to draw close to us? Do we realize that it is not us who are seeking Him, but Christ in His mercy who is actively seeking us. As St. Luke mentions in his Gospel, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19:10) Each of us in our sinfulness have fallen away from following Christ at different times. May we allow Jesus to draw close to us and transform those waywards areas of our lives so that we may experience His healing and help lead others closer to Him.
Father John