3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A: Power in God's Word

The Catholic readings for January 25, 2026, fall on the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A), which is also designated as the Sunday of the Word of God. This Sunday emphasizes the power of God's Word to illuminate, call, and transform lives.

Here are the readings (based on the Roman Rite lectionary as used in the US and most English-speaking regions):

- First Reading: Isaiah 8:23–9:3  

  The prophet speaks of a time of darkness and distress giving way to great light. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in a land of gloom a light has shone. God multiplies joy and shatters the yoke of oppression, foreshadowing the coming of the Messiah.

- Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14  

  "The Lord is my light and my salvation." A song of confident trust in God amid trials, urging us to wait for the Lord with courage.

- Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:10–13, 17  

  St. Paul appeals for unity in the Church at Corinth, urging believers not to divide over human leaders ("I belong to Paul," "I belong to Apollos," etc.). He emphasizes that Christ is not divided and that his mission is to proclaim the Gospel, not with eloquent wisdom but with the power of the cross.

- Gospel: Matthew 4:12–23 (or longer form 4:12–25)  

  Jesus withdraws to Galilee after hearing of John's arrest, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy. He begins his public ministry proclaiming, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Walking by the Sea of Galilee, he calls the first disciples—Simon (Peter) and Andrew, then James and John—saying, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." They immediately leave everything to follow him. Jesus then teaches, proclaims the Gospel, and heals the sick.

 Reflection

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

On this Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, the readings converge on a powerful theme: God's light breaks into darkness, calls us personally, and unites us in Christ. The prophet Isaiah paints a vivid picture of hope amid despair—the land of Zebulun and Naphtali, once humiliated, now bathed in divine light. This prophecy finds its fulfillment in Jesus, who steps into the shadows of Galilee not as a distant ruler but as the Light Himself, walking among ordinary people by the sea.

In the Gospel, we witness the very beginning of that light's mission. Jesus does not begin with grand announcements in Jerusalem's temple but in a peripheral region, among working fishermen. His first words echo John the Baptist: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Repentance here is not mere regret but a radical reorientation—a turning toward God that opens us to the kingdom breaking into our world.

What strikes me most is the immediacy of the disciples' response. Simon, Andrew, James, and John leave nets, boat, and family "at once" when Jesus calls them by name. They do not negotiate terms or delay for convenience. In that moment, the light of Christ pierces their routine lives, and they recognize something worth abandoning everything for. This call is not just historical; it echoes in our own lives. Jesus still walks along the "shores" of our daily existence—our jobs, relationships, struggles—and says, "Come after me." He does not call the qualified; He qualifies those He calls, transforming fishermen into fishers of men.

St. Paul's words in the second reading add urgency to this call to follow. The Corinthian community was fracturing into factions, boasting in human leaders rather than in Christ crucified. Paul reminds them (and us) that such divisions betray the Gospel. The kingdom Jesus proclaims is one of unity, not rivalry. We are baptized into one Christ, not into competing camps. In a world—and even at times in the Church—where polarization and "I belong to this group or that" seem to dominate, Paul's plea rings clear: be united in mind and purpose, centered on the cross, not on personalities or preferences.

The Psalm ties it all together: "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?" In a time when darkness—whether personal anxiety, societal division, or global unrest—can feel overwhelming, these readings remind us that God's Word is not passive. It is active, illuminating, calling, healing, and uniting. On this Sunday of the Word of God, we are invited to let Scripture not just inform us but transform us, as it did those first disciples.

The Sunday of the Word of God is a liturgical celebration in the Catholic Church observed annually on the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (typically in January). Pope Francis instituted it through his Apostolic Letter Motu Proprio titled Aperuit illis ("He Opened Their Minds"), issued on September 30, 2019. The purpose of this day is to highlight the central role of Sacred Scripture in the life of the Church and of believers, encouraging the faithful to celebrate, study, and spread the Word of God more deeply. It aims to foster greater appreciation for the Bible as a living gift, promote its proclamation in liturgy (especially at Mass), encourage personal and communal lectio divina (prayerful reading), and remind Catholics that the risen Christ opens the Scriptures to us, as He did for the disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13–35, the Gospel that inspired the letter's title). This observance helps make Scripture more accessible, stirs gratitude for this treasure, and strengthens the bond between the Word proclaimed and the Eucharist celebrated.

Regarding the formation of the Bible in the Catholic tradition, a key milestone occurred under Pope Damasus I (reigned 366–384). In 382, he presided over the Council (or Synod) of Rome, which produced one of the earliest formal listings of the canonical books of Sacred Scripture—totaling 73 books, including the deuterocanonical of the Old Testament. This decree affirmed the canon that the Church had received from apostolic tradition and early usage. Pope Damasus also commissioned St. Jerome to revise existing Latin translations of the Bible, leading to the Vulgate, Jerome's monumental work (completed over decades, with the Gospels finished around 383–384 and much of the rest later). The Vulgate became the Church's standard Latin Bible for centuries, ensuring a unified, accurate text for liturgy, teaching, and theology. While the canon was definitively confirmed at later councils (Hippo in 393, Carthage in 397, and Trent in 1546), the Council of Rome under Damasus marked a pivotal step in the Catholic Church's authoritative role in discerning and preserving the inspired books of the Bible as we know them today.

As we listen anew to God's Word proclaimed, may we respond with the same generosity. Let us leave behind whatever nets entangle us—fear, resentment, division, complacency—and follow Christ more closely. In doing so, we become bearers of His light to a world still waiting to see it shine.

May the Lord who called fishermen by the sea call each of us today to deeper discipleship, and may His Word be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.