-
The area between the eastern point of Mount Carmel and the western side of Nazareth is known as the plain of Megiddo (see the map). This was an ancient battlefield and the area known as Armageddon. The area was located centrally between Assyria (Syria) to the North and Egypt to the south, so it made for a convenient place for opposing armies to do battle. History bears witness to a lot of gloom and a lot of death associated with the area.At the time of Isaiah the prophet, the twelve tribes named after the 12 sons of Jacob who came to occupy the land of Canaan, were split into a northern kingdom called Israel, with the city of Samaria as its capital, and a southern kingdom known as Judah with Jerusalem as its capital. Assyrian, Babylonian, and Roman invaders always came from “the north” – meaning they followed the trade routes and river routes. Two of Jacob’s sons, Zebulun, and Nephtali were apportioned territory west and north of the Sea of Galilee. Therefore, they would be the first to feel the brunt of an attack from an invading force. In fact, when Assyria destroyed the kingdom of Northern Israel around 720 BC, Zebulun and Naphtali were the first tribal lands to fall into the hands of the enemy. In 63 BC, the Romans conquered the land and called it Palestine. Note that this area would include the village of Nazareth and the town of Capernaum. Assyria conquered them and began among them the process of enculturation and paganization. The Assyrians forced intermarriage in the northern tribes of Zebulon and Naphtali. The descendants of these intermarriages became the despised Samaritans of Jesus’ day. But Isaiah declares that God’s power is greater than the powers of darkness of foreign conquerors and assures them that “a great light” will lead them into “abundant joy.”
Today’s Gospel reading (Mt. 4:12-23) makes us realize that what had been prophesied by Isaiah was fulfilled through Jesus. As a Jew in Roman-controlled territory, Jesus had located himself among the marginalized, with the poor not the wealthy, with the rural peasants not the urban elite, with the ruled not the rulers, with the powerless and exploited not the powerful, and with those who resisted Imperial demands rather than with those who enforced them. Thus, he began his ministry among the apparently small and insignificant places and people who, nevertheless, were central for God’s purposes.
The Gospel describes the call of the first disciples (4:18-22) and Jesus’ teaching and healing ministry, which invited people to repent of their sins and accept the Good News of God’s Kingdom, changing their lives to match their Faith. Thus, the Gospel describes the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. We, too, need to introduce Christ’s Light into the darkness of prejudice, war, abuse, social injustice, hunger, poverty, ignorance, greed, anger, vengeance, and apathy. We should seek and walk in the light of God, the good news. Today’s scripture invites us to break into the spiritual journey of light.
St. John Henry Newman’s prayer for light in the darkness of life:
Lead, kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom,
Lead thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from home,–
Lead thou me on!
Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene,–one step enough for me.
(The complete poem/song is on our website www.stjohnnewman.org)
Fr Tom Kunnel, C.O.