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The Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

A central theme that permeates the prophets in the Old Testament is that of exile and restoration. To grasp this theme, one must be familiar with the family story of Israel, which is our same family story as Christians. The story goes like this: A man named Jacob was renamed by God with the new name “Israel.” This man, Israel, had twelve sons, from whom descended twelve tribes. These twelve loosely-knit tribes formed a unified kingdom under a man after God’s own heart: King David. However, due to sin, this kingdom split into two divided, factious kingdoms when David’s son: Solomon died. They are known as (1) the Northern Kingdom of Israel with 10 tribes and (2) The Southern Kingdom of Judah with 2 tribes. Around the year 722 B.C., the King of Assyria (named Sennacherib) conquered and exiled the inhabitants of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Thereafter, these 10 tribes of Israel were nowhere to be found. So, today they are popularly known as the “Ten Lost Tribes.”

Sennacherib knew how to utterly defeat a people who found their strength in their racial makeup. He had Israel intermix and intermarry among the surrounding nations (i.e., the “Gentiles”). In doing so, these 10 tribes lost their racial, national identity. However, the Southern Kingdom of Judah survived a while longer. In 586 B.C., Babylon conquered the Southern Kingdom and sent them into exile. When these exiled Judah-ites were finally allowed to return to the Holy Land, they were known as “Jews” (taken from “Judah”), but the Jews were only 2/12 of Israel! For, the other 10/12 of Israel were scattered among the Gentiles.

This background is essential to understanding today’s Liturgy of the Word. The Prophet Isaiah speaks of how Assyria began conquering Israel in the northernmost regions of Zebulun and Naphtali. Simultaneously, he promises a future restoration – an undoing of this exile.

In today’s Gospel, Matthew recounts where Jesus began his public ministry… at an extremely strategic location: Capernaum, which is a town that lied within the tribal region of Naphtali.

What is the significance? Well, what would you say is the key to good business for a gas station? Location, location, location! Jesus is fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy. Jesus begins to restore Israel, all 12 tribes of Israel, as Israel’s King, where Israel began to be conquered and deported! Jesus is saying: “Isaiah’s promise of a future redeemer has come. I am that redeemer. I am the Son of David, the conquering King. I have come to take you out of exile and restore you to glory greater than that of Solomon.” Jesus took up his throne at the resurrection to unite Jew with Gentile, simultaneously restoring the twelve tribes in his Church.