Mt 4:12-17, 23-25
12When he heard that John had been arrested, [Jesus] withdrew to Galilee. 13He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: 15“Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,/ the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan,/ Galilee of the Gentiles,/ 16the people who sit in darkness/ have seen a great light,/ on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death/ light has arisen.”
17From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
23He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people. 24His fame spread to all of Syria, and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases and racked with pain, those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics, and he cured them. 25And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan followed him.
When he heard that John had been arrested: The ministry of Jesus starts with this sad note or trying experience. But Jesus does not hide in fear. He does not sulk in a corner, weeping for this last prophet. The negative experience, in fact, urges him on, as it were, to begin his ministry.
Many turning points in our lives began with some sad news: after Papa died, after our house was burned down, after my business went bankrupt, after our relationship hit rock bottom… These negative experiences should not define our life. Our attitude, attempts, and efforts to rise from difficult situations ought to define our real life story.
The call to change our ways is sometimes a call to change how we look at things. Negative experiences challenge us to change what we can with our lives, to move on and live for our loved ones who have made the opening for us!
Galilee of the Gentiles: At the time of Jesus’ public ministry, Israel was divided by Rome into three provinces. A Roman prefect (Pontius Pilate) controlled Jerusalem and Judea; Herod Antipas was in charge of Jesus’ home country of Galilee; and Herod Philip ruled the northern part of Ituraea, including the capital Caesarea Philippi. The evangelist Matthew situates the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry in Galilee where Jews and Gentiles live together.