Monday After Epiphany
The Kingdom of Heaven Is Near
Liturgical Cycle: A | Lectionary Cycle: II
Introduction
Today’s Gospel speaks of the beginnings of Jesus’ ministry. He preaches his gospel of repentance and conversion first to the semi-pagan Jews of Galilee: he becomes their light.
The signs that the kingdom of God has begun with him are that the sick are cured, that he goes to the poor and the suffering. John says in the first reading that our love of neighbor and our obedience to the commandments will also be signs that the kingdom has come among us.
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
Your kingdom began to take shape
When your Son showed his care for the sick
and for all those who suffer.
Help us to love people and to care for them,
especially for the poor, the dispossessed,
and the misfits of life.
Let this be the sign
that his Spirit is working in us
and that your Son is present among us,
He who is our Lord forever.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (8ab) I will give you all the nations for an inheritance.
The LORD said to me, “you are my Son;
this day I have begotten you.
Ask of me and I will give you
the nations for an inheritance
and the ends of the earth for your possession.”
R. I will give you all the nations for an inheritance.
And now, O kings, give heed;
take warning, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice before him;
with trembling rejoice.
R. I will give you all the nations for an inheritance.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the Kingdom
and cured every disease among the people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Prayers of the Faithful
That the people of God may be in this world like a great light shining in the darkness, as men and women committed to a better world of compassion and mercy, we pray:
– That the leaders of the world may bring rays of hope into the lives of those who suffer by giving justice to the oppressed and human dignity to every person, we pray:
– That those who search and grope in life may discover Christ as the answer to their quest for love, goodness and truth, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God,
the bread and wine on this table
express that we are ready
to let your kingdom grow among us.
Give us the Spirit of your Son
to share our possessions and ourselves
with the less fortunate,
not in a spirit of condescension
but as your people,
to whom every poor person
appears with the face of Jesus Christ,
your Son and our Lord for ever.
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God,
let the gospel of your Son Jesus Christ
bear fruit among us, ordinary people.
Let your Son be the light
that brightens our lives
and do not allow us to hide its luster
from the people around us.
May they recognize him
in the simplicity of our love
and in our care for one another,
that with our help he may be seen and experienced
in this world as our Lord for ever.
Blessing
Jesus commanded us to love one another and he himself was our model by healing those who were sick and in pain. May we continue his work, with the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTIONS
What’s in a Name?
Name matters. In biblical traditions, we find parents carefully choosing names for their children. Mary was instructed to name her child Jesus. Zachariah named his son John, as directed. Jesus renamed Simon. Every name carries a meaning and significance. Perhaps we grow into the full meaning of our names.
Today we celebrate the ‘Holy Name of Jesus.’ His name comes from the Hebrew name Yeshua meaning ‘to deliver,’ ‘to rescue.’ That is what he was: Today’s Gospel tells us that he declared open the Kingdom of God and went around delivering people from physical and spiritual infirmities. John tells us that God wants “that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ.” So, what’s in a name? More than we can imagine! Blessed are those whose names have been meaningfully and prayerfully chosen! And blessed is the one who believes in the Name of the Son!
Reflection taken from Bible Diary 2022; written by Fr. Paulson Velyannoor, CMF
Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25
How Long Will the Night Last?
Today’s Gospel unfolds in two parts. The first introduces Jesus’ ministry in Galilee with Isaiah’s prophecy, while the second summarises his mission of teaching, preaching, and healing.
After John the Baptist’s mission ended, Jesus moved from Nazareth to Capernaum, a modest fishing village along the western shore of Lake Gennesaret. Unlike the prominent cities of Tiberias or Magdala, Capernaum’s significance lay in its position on the "Way of the Sea," a major trade route, making it a border hub of cultural and commercial exchange.
Matthew interprets Jesus’ relocation through Isaiah’s prophecy: “The people who lived in darkness have seen a great light” (Isaiah 9:1-2). Galilee, despised by Jerusalem’s Jewish leadership as a semi-pagan region of unrefined and rebellious people, becomes the site where the light of Christ first shines. Jesus’ choice to begin his mission here highlights God’s preference for the marginalised and excluded, fulfilling Isaiah’s vision of salvation reaching the distant and outcast.
Jesus' call to repentance (v. 17) challenges us to transform our thinking and actions radically. It is not about minor improvements but a profound shift from darkness to light, from death to life. Only by embracing this change can we experience the “kingdom of heaven”—a new way of living rooted in Christ’s word.
In verse 23, Matthew summarises Jesus’ mission: teaching as a light for all, preaching hope, and healing the sick. These actions demonstrate God’s love in tangible ways, teaching disciples how to create a renewed people and a society.
As followers of Christ, we are called to face life’s storms with courage, extend hope to those in desperate situations, and bring the light of Christ into the world. His mission continues through us, creating a new dawn for those in darkness.