Reflection for January 25, 2026

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

Isaiah 8:23—9:3 | Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14 | 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17 | Matthew 4:12-23 or 4:12-17

​This Sunday we continue our journey through the liturgical season known in our tradition as “Ordinary Time,” marked by numbered Sundays. In the readings for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, we hear how God’s people of old experienced the joy of God’s light and were no longer forced to live in darkness. This light of Christ unites us, calls us to follow Him, and invites us to help build the Kingdom of Heaven.

​Catherine, a very serious five-year-old with very important questions, asked her mom one day, “Mommy, how did humans begin?” Her mom replied calmly, “God created Adam and Eve. They had children, and that’s how all people came to be.” Two days later—same child, same curiosity—Catherine asked her dad the exact same question. Dad thought for a moment and said, “Well, a very long time ago, humans evolved from monkeys.” Now deeply confused and clearly needing answers, Catherine marched back to her mom and said, “Mom… you said humans were created by God. But Dad said we came from monkeys. Which one is right?” Her mom smiled sweetly and said, “Oh, Catherine, it’s very simple. I told you about my side of the family… and your father told you about his.” Family dinner was never the same again.

The Old Testament (1 Kings 12; 2 Chronicles 10) recounts the division of the United Kingdom of Israel after the death of King Solomon. The nation split into two: the Northern Kingdom, often called “Israel,” composed of ten tribes, and the Southern Kingdom, known as “Judah,” formed by the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. In the First Reading, the prophet Isaiah refers to “the land of Zebulun and Naphtali,” territories belonging to the Northern Kingdom. Isaiah describes this region as “a place of darkness” because, during his time, it was largely inhabited by pagans. The few Israelites who remained struggled to preserve their ancestral faith and traditions. The Northern Kingdom eventually fell under foreign rule, losing its freedom and autonomy. Many were sent into exile, and the Assyrians imposed their religion, erecting pagan temples and shrines throughout the land. Political domination and religious oppression plunged Israel into deep darkness. This division also bred hostility between the two kingdoms. The people of Judah harbored deep resentment toward those of the North, labeling them as outsiders and “half-breeds.” Yet Isaiah’s prophecy carries hope: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” What human pride and division destroyed, God promises to heal, breaking the yoke of oppression and restoring unity through His saving intervention.

A Franciscan, a Dominican, and a Jesuit were locked in a very holy debate about which religious Order was the greatest. Voices were rising, Latin phrases were flying, and pride was doing backflips. Suddenly—BOOM—an apparition of the Holy Family appeared right in front of them. Mary and Joseph were praying, and baby Jesus was there, peacefully lying in a manger. The Franciscan immediately collapsed face-down on the floor, overwhelmed by the radical poverty of God made flesh. “Ah! Perfect humility!” he sobbed. The Dominican dropped to his knees, hands folded, eyes shining. “Behold! The perfect image of the Trinity reflected in the Holy Family!” he proclaimed. The Jesuit, meanwhile, calmly walked over to Joseph, casually put an arm around his shoulder, glanced at baby Jesus, and said: “So, Joseph… have you considered enrolling Him in the Ateneo de Manila? Strong academics, great formation, excellent alumni network. We can talk scholarships.” Mary raised an eyebrow. The manger creaked. And the other two just stared, suddenly realizing… the Jesuits were already planning for Grade 1.

In his First Letter to the Corinthians, Saint Paul addresses a Christian community torn by deep divisions. Unlike the division described in the First Reading, these were not caused by politics or geography but by personal allegiances. Paul therefore warns the Corinthians—and all Christians—against forming factions, urging them instead to “be united in mind and judgment.” Ironically, Baptism, the sacrament that brings believers into the community of God’s people, became the very cause of division. Corinthian Christians began claiming loyalty to different leaders based on who baptized or evangelized them. A more educated minority admired the preaching of Apollos, Jewish Christians from Palestine and Syria boasted of their connection to Peter, while the majority—poor freedmen and slaves—gravitated toward Paul. How easy it is to lose sight of Jesus. We often rally around human teachers, even those God uses to lead us to faith. Yet our true leader is Christ alone. There should be no division within the family of God, for we are the earthly Body of Christ, and He alone is its head.

Tristan woke up at 2:00 AM with the kind of hunger that convinces you snacks are a human right. Half-asleep, he turned on the light and grabbed a bowl of grapes beside his bed. First grape—crunch. Ants. “Okay, rude,” Tristan muttered. He shook the ants off and ate it anyway. Priorities. Second grape—same thing. More ants. He shook them off again, still chewing like nothing was wrong. Now Tristan paused and thought, At this rate, I’m gonna starve. So he did what any exhausted philosopher would do. He turned off the lights. Problem solved. No light, no ants. He happily finished the rest of the grapes in peaceful ignorance, feeling victorious… and slightly itchy. Moral of the story: just because you can’t see the ants doesn’t mean they’re not there. Don’t be like Tristan. Do not let your eyes get used to the darkness—especially at 2:00 AM, especially around grapes, and definitely around ants.

“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali… the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light” (Isaiah 9:2). This prophecy came alive the moment Jesus began His public ministry in Galilee. Known as “Galilee of the Gentiles,” the region was home to a mixed population of pagans and Jews who were slowly resettling a land scarred by earlier wars. Because of this mixture, Galilee was viewed by those in Jerusalem as religiously and ethnically “impure.” Yet Jesus refused to accept the divisions of His time. He deliberately chose Galilee as the starting point of His mission and selected Galileans as His closest followers. The disciples were ordinary working people—neither wealthy, educated, nor influential. By worldly standards, they were insignificant. Yet it was to them that the great light appeared. Through His call to repentance and His invitation to the Kingdom of God, Jesus brought light to those living in darkness and fulfilled God’s ancient promise. His presence in Galilee was marked by liberation, joy, and hope, breaking the yoke of oppression. When Peter and Andrew left their nets at once, and James and John immediately left their father, they stepped fully into that light. The same light now shines upon us. If we welcome Christ as our light, even our darkest places can be transformed by His glory.

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