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Gospel (Mt 4.12-23)
12 meanwhile Having heard that John was arrested, he withdrew into Galilee 13 and leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
15 The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; 16 the people which sat in darkness saw great light on those who sat in the region and shadow of death light is doffing.
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near."
18 As he walked along the Sea of \u200b\u200bGalilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.
19 He said to them: "Follow me, I will make you fishers of men". 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 Going further, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with Zebedee their father , mending their nets, and he called them. 22 And they immediately left the boat and their father and followed him.
23 Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness among the people.
There are three parts that make up today's Gospel. First, by quoting the prophet Isaiah, is introduced the activities of Jesus in Galilee (vv. 12-17), then there is the story of the calling of the first four disciples (vv. 18-22), and finally, in a sentence, summarizing the activities of Jesus (v. 23).
After the conclusion of the mission of John the Baptist, Jesus moved from Nazareth to Capernaum, which became the center of his activities for nearly three years.
Capernaum was a village of fishermen and farmers that stretched for about three hundred meters along the western shore of Lake Gennesaret. It was not known how the city of Tiberias - where he lived the tetrarch Herod Antipas - or how the rich and prosperous Magdala, famous for its flourishing industries of salted fish and dry, but enjoyed a certain prestige went along the "Via of the sea "- the famous imperial road going to Damascus from Egypt and led in Mesopotamia - and marked the border between Galilee and the Golan Heights, which belonged to Philip (another son of Herod the Great). It was a place of entry, where he was charged with a customs duty on all merchandise.
Matthew does not just note the change of residence of Jesus, accompanies the information with the reference to a text of Scripture. To understand the significance it should be noted that the Galilee was inhabited by Israelites regarded by all as the semi-pagan, because they were born from the crossing of various peoples. The Jews of Jerusalem despised them because they considered them poorly educated, ignorant of the law, corrupt customs and a little observant of the provisions rabbinic. They were also viewed with suspicion because of their subversive tendencies in the political field (the Galileans were to embark on the Zealot movement, responsible for the bloody revolt against the Roman Empire).
in this region at the edge of the holy land, in this "Galilee of the Gentiles" (V. 15), Jesus begins his mission, and with this choice, will show who are the first recipients of its light: the Jews not pure, but the outcast, far off.
admiration for the faith of the centurion - the head of the detachment of Roman soldiers who resided in Capernaum - one day exclaimed: "Truly I tell you, at no one in Israel have I found such faith. Now I tell you that many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom shall be cast out "(Mt 8.10 to 11). Even the chief priests and the elders will point out the surprising reversal: "The publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God" (Matt. 21:31).
change of residence - made itself quite trivial - was read by Matthew in its theological significance, as the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah: "The people which sat in darkness have seen a great light on those who lived in region and shadow of death light is sprung up "(v. 16). With the beginning of Jesus' public, in the mountains of Galilee has shone the dawn of a new day, the light is sort mentioned by the prophet.
The last verse of this first part presents the proclamation of Jesus: "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near" (v. 17).
converted not equivalent to "become a bit 'better, pray more, do some good work in more" but "fundamentally change how we think and act." Who has grown projects of death must be open to life choices, who moved in the darkness shall turn to the light. Only if you are willing to make this change you can enter the kingdom of heaven (not in heaven, but in new condition of those who chose to putting our lives on the word of Christ).
In the second part of the song is told the vocation of the first four disciples.
is not the record of the call of the first apostles (the four evangelists narrate the fact so very different from one another), but it is a piece of catechesis who wants to understand what it means to say yes to the disciple Christ invites us to follow him. It is an example, an illustration of what it means to be converted.
worth noting first the insistence on motion verbs. Jesus does not stop for a moment: "He was walking along the sea ... Beyond trod ... all Galilee "(vv. 18:21:23).
Those who are called must realize that he will not be granted any rest, there will be no parking on the road. Jesus wants to be followed day and night and throughout life, there are times when it is released from its commitments.
The answer then must be prompt and generous like Peter, Andrew, John and James, who "immediately left their nets, the boat and their father and followed him" (v. 20:22).
The abandonment of the father should not be misunderstood. It does not mean that anyone who becomes a Christian (or single religious and consecrated life) there is lack of interest among their parents. Jewish people in the father was the symbol of the link with the ancestors, attachment to tradition. It is this dependence on the past that must be broken, when it constitutes an impediment to welcome the news of the gospel. The history, traditions, culture of every people must be respected and valued. However, we know that not all uses, customs, ways of life are passed on to reconcile with the message of Christ.
the call of Jesus refers to the dramatic choice that the early Christians were called to do: If you chose to become disciples were rejected by family, misunderstood by their parents, expelled from the synagogues, and excluded from their people.
Even today someone may return the inescapable choice between the love for "Father" and choice of Christ. Just think what it means for a Muslim, a Jew, a pagan, a buddhist adherence to Christianity.
For all, however, leaving the father implies the abandonment of all that is incompatible with the gospel.
The invitation to follow him, Jesus adds the commission: "I will make you fishers of men" (v. l9).
Image is taken from the work done by the first apostles. They were not fishing with a hook, but with the network and their work was to pull out of the sea (this is called - incorrectly - the Sea of \u200b\u200bGalilee) fish.
Now, in biblical symbolism, the sea was the abode of the devil, disease and all that is opposed to life. It was deep, dark, dangerous, mysterious, terrible. In the sea monsters and lived in it, even the most skilled sailors did not feel safe.
Fishing mean men pull out of the condition of death in which they are means to protect them from evil forces such as the raging waters, dominate them, overwhelm them and overwhelm them.
The disciple of Christ is not afraid of the waves and courageously faces, even when they are rushing. Not desperate to save a brother, though he is in desperate human situation: is a slave to drugs, alcohol, the unruly passions, of his short-tempered, aggressive, intractable ... There is no situation that can not be recovered by the disciple of Christ.
The third part (v. 23) summarizes three verbs with what Jesus did for humankind: teaches, so it's light to every man; preach the Good News, to announce a word of hope to all, ensures that the love of God is stronger than evil man and care for the sick. Not merely to proclaim salvation, but realized through specific actions, showing what the disciples are called to do: they must create, through the proclamation of the gospel, new men, a new society, a new world.
Fernando Armellini (biblical scholar) 
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