Greeting

May Christ, the true light of the world,
always brighten and inspire our lives.
May our faces reflect his warmth and love,
and may the Lord always be with you. R/ And also with you.

Introduction by the Celebrant

We are convinced that the coming of Jesus was a radical change for the world. With him God's light began to shine on a world plunged in the dark. Today, is all darkness gone from our world? Even from his Church and the Churches? Is Jesus still our light today? Our lives should reflect God's light on all people far and near. We acclaim Jesus here among us as the light of our life.

Penitential Act

Let us ask pardon from the Lord
for all the times when our sins
kept us from letting the light of Christ shine.
(PAUSE)
Lord Jesus, let your light shine
in the darkness of our world:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, let your light shine in us
and drive all our sins away:
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, let your light shine
on the Churches that profess your name
and make them all one in you:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.

Lord, let your forgiving love
drive away all sin from our hearts
and let your light shine in us.
Lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.

Opening Prayer

Let us pray
that we may follow Jesus all the way
(PAUSE)
God our Father,
your Son invites us, gently but insistently,
to follow him as faithful disciples.
Open our minds to his light,
make us respond to his love
and entrust our whole being to him.
May his kingdom grow in each of us
and in the whole world,
that he may lead us in hope
to the joy you have prepared for us in your home.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading Introduction: God Promises Light to His People
       In their dark days of oppression and deportation, God promises his people the light of joy and salvation.

First Reading: Is 8:23 - 9:3

First the LORD degraded the land of Zebulun
and the land of Naphtali;
but in the end he has glorified the seaward road,
the land west of the Jordan,
the District of the Gentiles.

Anguish has taken wing, dispelled is darkness:
for there is no gloom where but now there was distress.
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom
a light has shone.
You have brought them abundant joy
and great rejoicing,
as they rejoice before you as at the harvest,
as people make merry when dividing spoils.
For the yoke that burdened them,
the pole on their shoulder,
and the rod of their taskmaster
you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 27:1, 4, 13.14

R. (1a) The Lord is my light and my salvation.

The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life's refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. (1a) The Lord is my light and my salvation.

One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
to dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
that I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. (1a) The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Second Reading Introduction: Be United in Christ!
       The Christians of Corinth are divided into factions, each with a personality cult around those who preached the gospel to them. Paul tells them: do not divide Christ; be united in him!

Second Reading: 1 Cor 1:10.13, 17

I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that all of you agree in what you say,
and that there be no divisions among you,
but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose.
For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers and sisters,
by Chloe's people, that there are rivalries among you.
I mean that each of you is saying,
"I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos,"
or "I belong to Cephas," or "I belong to Christ."
Is Christ divided?

Was Paul crucified for you?
Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel,
and not with the wisdom of human eloquence,
so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning.

Gospel Introduction: Christ, Light for All in Darkness
       Jesus fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah: he is the promised light, for he brings the Good News of salvation.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 4:12-23

When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to settle down in Capernaum, a town by the lake of Galilee, at the border of Zebulun and Naphtali.

In this way the word of the prophet Isaiah was fulfilled: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali crossed by the Road of the Sea, and you who live by the Jordan, Galilee, land of pagans, listen:

The people who lived in darkness have seen a great light; on those who live in the land of the shadow of death, a light has shone.
From that time on Jesus began to proclaim his message, "Change your ways: the kingdom of heaven is near."

As Jesus walked by the lake of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. He said to them, "Come, follow me, and I will make you fish for people."
At once they left their nets and followed him.

He went on from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, Jesus called them.

At once they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Jesus went around all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing all kinds of sickness and disease among the people.