Where To Go First

 

Following in the footsteps of Jesus and his Vicar

01/05/2026

Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25 When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen. From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people. His fame spread to all of Syria, and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases and racked with pain, those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics, and he cured them. And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan followed him.

Today I want to draw a mental map using our church layout so we might picture the land of Israel in Jesus’ day. First, visualize the center aisle of the church as the Jordan River that runs from the north to the south of Israel. Up here, where you come up to receive Holy Communion, is the Sea of Galilee in the north. And at the other end of the center aisle at the doors of the church is the Dead Sea in the south.

All you people close to the doors are in Jerusalem, like Mary Louise and Laura Farrell. All the people along the side wall by the glass doors are swimming in the Mediterranean Sea, Peggy Correll and Bill and Judy Marry. And so those who sit close to the front of the Sea of Galilee are in Zebulun and Naphtali, like Philip Hindman, Victoria Le, Tony Reith and Danny Meyers. And where the priests and deacons sit is the nations of Assyria and Babylon, the bad guys who kept invading and destroying Israel.

So, let me ask you: where is the most vulnerable and dangerous place to live in Israel? You guessed it: Zebulun and Naphtali. You guys might want to move a little farther back in church. And in the gospel today, where does Jesus go first to begin his public ministry? We read: “He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali.”

In other words, Jesus went first to preach the good news and heal and teach to the areas that had suffered the most because they needed to heal his words of comfort the most. If you have been keeping up with Pope Leo XIV, you know the first foreign countries he went to visit were Turkey and Lebanon, not exactly a vacation or resort area.

Why not come to the United States first – he’s the first American pope after all – or some other rich and powerful nation and start building strategic alliances and relationships that could benefit the Church materially and economically? That would be a smart thing to do, right? Maybe. Well, I think he went to Turkey and Lebanon for at least two reasons, maybe more.

First, because like Jesus, he went to where people are suffering and need to hear words of comfort and peace. Pope Leo knows well the old maxim of good preaching: “to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” But second, Pope Leo wants to heal the divisions between the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches.

For example, he met with the Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew and signed a joint declaration to work on a common date for Easter. You may know that Catholics and Orthodox have different dates for Easter. Following in the footsteps of Jesus, Pope Leo in effect traveled to the modern-day Zebulun and Naphtali, where people suffer chronically and the flashpoint of division in the Church.

My friends, the message for us today is to do the same and walk in the footsteps of Jesus and his Vicar. That is, zero in your attention, exert your energy, and marshal your resources to help the Zebuluns and Naphatalis in your life. Isn’t this what all good parents do? If you have 3 children who are well and thriving and one who is sickly and struggling, where will a good mom and dad spend their time and love? Well, to ask the question is to answer it.

And if you remember, Zebulun and Naphtali are not just two geographical places on a map in Israel. They are the two northernmost tribes of Israel that descended from two of the 12 sons of Jacob who was renamed Isreal. Of the 12 children of Jacob, who had suffered the most? Zebulun and Naphtali. And that is why Isaiah chapter 8 had prophesied:

“Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen.” And that, by the way, is why we give Communion first to Victoria, Danny, Tony, and Philip.

Praised be Jesus Christ!