Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

In this Sunday’s Gospel, we heard that Jesus went to Galilee and Nazareth, where He had been brought up. He taught in the synagogues, and everyone praised Him. Jesus began His ministry in His humble hometown of Nazareth, and throughout His life, He was associated with His hometown. Even on the Cross, the notice stated that He was “Jesus the Nazarene.”
It can be said that Jesus started with humble beginnings in His hometown and later went to the big city to proclaim the Good News of salvation. But it was not merely to start small that He began His ministry in His humble hometown. It was there that He had been brought up and received His religious formation. He heard the scriptures being read in the synagogue every Sabbath. When the time came for Him to fulfill what He had heard, He started from the humble town of Nazareth and went on to the big city of Jerusalem.
We come to the Church of St. Thomas More for Mass, and this can be considered our home parish. This is a simple parish in the humble town of Scarborough. We listen to the Scriptures every Sunday and are formed as the people of God. Just as this parish is simple and humble, we too must be simple, humble, and radiate the warmth of God’s love for each other.
Therefore, when we say that we are from St. Thomas More Parish, others should be able to see the simplicity and humility of our lives and feel the warmth of God’s love from us. The Spirit of the Lord is also given to us so that as we go forth, we too will proclaim the Good News of God’s love to those longing to see the beauty of love. We are also empowered by the Holy Spirit to be messengers of hope to the downhearted and those burdened by the worries and anxieties of this world.
Let us remember that as parishioners of St. Thomas More Parish, we are called to show God’s love in simple and humble ways and to be witnesses of hope in God’s blessings for the world. Can we do that? And when will we start this mission?

Fr. Aegidius Warsito, SCJ