Franciscan Friar Fr. Paul Gallagher reflects on the Gospel readings for the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time 2026. How does being personally asked to do something differ from you taking the initiative to apply or volunteer to take on a role or responsibility?
The content is edited by Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity Sister Anne Marie Lom and Joe Thiel. The excerpts from the Sunday readings are prepared by Joe Thiel. To read or download the complete pdf with excerpts for your prayer, please click here: Franciscan Gospel Reflection January 25 2026 Excerpts are from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner. Photo: Jesus Calls the Disciples stained glass window, St. Anne Catholic Community, Houston, Texas; Jesus and the Eucharist, Co Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Houston, Texas
Matthew 4:12-23
When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen.” From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him.
He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people.
Background:
The arrest of John the Baptist signals the end of John’s ministry. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke all agree that Jesus does not begin his ministry until the end of John’s. However, in John’s Gospel Jesus does begin his ministry while John is still ministering. Some scholars believe that it is possible that Jesus was a disciple of John in the early part of his ministry. He, like John, would have called people to repentance and baptism as a sign of their conversion. But as Jesus preached, he discovered that he was also gifted by God with the grace to heal. As he experienced this gift of healing and it became more a part of his understanding of his unique ministry, he began to invite followers. The Gospels do not give us a clear understanding of how Jesus came to his own awareness of his ministry.
While John is distinct in describing Jesus beginning his ministry while John the Baptist is still ministering, Matthew is unique in his use of quotes from the Hebrew Scriptures to explain events in Jesus’ life. The fact that Jesus began his ministry among Gentiles of the north could have been a real scandal and a reason to reject him as the Messiah. But by quoting the prophet he is making the point that Jesus should be understood as being obedient to God’s plan.
On another level, Jesus reveals himself as a man who leaves his familiar hometown of Nazareth and moves to Capernaum, a fishing village on the northwest corner of the Sea of Galilee. It is also on an important trade route that would have provided access to a broader audience.
Followers of the Rabbis normally took the initiative and presented themselves for training to their chosen teachers. Contrary to this tradition, Jesus called his disciples. During the dry season, when farmers were waiting for the harvest, the work was left to servants. Traditionally, this was the time when men gathered to debate and “be seen.” It was the time when one who wished to promote a cause or had a grievance would gather followers. It was assumed that these followers would eventually return to their normal daily lives. The pairs of brothers, Peter and Andrew, and James and John, are described as being part of one of the most successful and stable family businesses in the area. They are engaged in the work of the day when Jesus approaches them. They are presented as leaving the business, their position in the community, and, in the case of James and John, even their father, to become his followers.
Jesus’ ministry, as described by the text, begins with preaching a message that is similar to John’s: repentance to prepare for the coming of the Kingdom. After Jesus has attracted his first disciples, the ministry shifts to include healing the sick.
Reflection Questions:
- Have you ever moved from what was familiar to something very new and unfamiliar? What was going on inside of you as you made that change? What did you discover about yourself, and your relationships to others and to God?
- How does being personally asked to do something differ from you taking the initiative to apply or volunteer to take on a role or responsibility?
- Do you think it is significant that Jesus called the disciples?
- What are some things James and John and Andrew and Peter might have thought or experienced to have Jesus come up to them and ask them to be his disciples?
- Has God ever called you to a new relationship, way of living, or ministry? How did that happen in your own life?
- Does this text point to how God might be calling you now to a new kind of ministry, or new kind of relationship?
- From what you know about Peter, Andrew, James and John from other places in the Gospel, what strikes you about Jesus’ invitation to them in the text here?
- Can you talk with God about how this Gospel text affects you and what it stirs within you?
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