1. Wednesday Gospel Webinar
Portsmouth Diocese – Formation for Mission

2. Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.
O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.

3. Sunday 22nd January 2017 3rd Sunday in OT Matthew 4:12-23
Hearing that John had been arrested, Jesus went back to Galilee, and leaving Nazareth he went and settled in Capernaum, a lakeside town on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. In this way the prophecy of Isaiah was to be fulfilled:
‘Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali!
Way of the sea on the far side of the Jordan,
Galilee of the nations!
The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light;
on those who dwell in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.’
From that moment Jesus began his preaching with the message, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’

4. Sunday 22nd January 2017 3rd Sunday in OT Matthew 4:12-23
As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew; they were making a cast in the lake with their net, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.’ And they left their nets at once and followed him. Going on from there he saw another pair of brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they were in their boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. At once, leaving the boat and their father, they followed him.
He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness among the people.

5. Literal meaning
Where? Matthew 4 - back to Galilee (After Jordan / desert)
When? After Baptism and temptations in the desert
What? Beginning of public ministry and call of first disciples
Who? Jesus, Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, Zebedee, crowds
How? ‘Repent…’ / personal call / Good News + healings
Why? The kingdom of God has come

8. The Kingdom of heaven Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand
is proclaimed in Galilee = light in the darkness // Isaiah +John 1:5
is offered to the disciples = follow me
is a reality in words and deeds = teaching…proclaiming…curing
is first offered to the ‘nobodies’ of Galilee [and is extending to the whole of Israel and beyond = His fame spread throughout Syria…large crowds followed him, coming from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and Transjordania]

9. Finding God
Kingdom of Heaven

10. Finding the human person
Kingdom of Heaven

11. Finding the Church
Kingdom of Heaven

13. Mary, Virgin and Mother,
you who, moved by the Holy Spirit,
welcomed the word of life
in the depths of your humble faith:
as you gave yourself completely to the Eternal One,
help us to say our own “yes”
to the urgent call, as pressing as ever,
to proclaim the good news of Jesus.
Mother of the living Gospel,
wellspring of happiness for God’s little ones,
pray for us.
Amen. Alleluia!

14. Acknowledgments
Mosaics artworks: © Fr Marko Rupnik and Centro Aletti
Scripture: The CTS New Catholic Bible, Copyright © 2007 The Incorporated Catholic Truth Society
Map of Ancient Israel: By 12 tribus de Israel.svg: Translated by Kordas12 staemme israels heb.svg: by user:יוסי12 staemme israels.png: by user:Janzderivative work: Richardprins (talk) - 12 tribus de Israel.svg12 staemme israels heb.svg12 staemme israels.png, CC BY-SA 3.0,
Map of Palestine at the time of Jesus: By Charles Foster Kent [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
With gratitude to the Wednesday Word