Turn towards Me.

 In today’s Gospel, Matthew 4:12–23, Jesus officially begins His ministry. John the Baptist has just been arrested, so Jesus leaves and goes to Galilee. This is where He fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah—a place where those in darkness would see a great light. He was going to help the blind see. His message was simple and direct: “Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is close at hand.”

While walking along the Sea of Galilee, Jesus encounters Peter and Andrew, who were fishermen. They become His first disciples. He says to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of people.” With that call, the ministry begins. Jesus goes on to meet several other disciples, and together they travel throughout Galilee, preaching the Word.

When John the Baptist was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee—not to hide, but to move away from attention. He wanted to be among the “regular” people. It is among ordinary people that He chose to grow His ministry. Jesus makes it clear that power and worldly possessions have no place in what He is doing. He works best with the broken, the misguided, and the often misunderstood. His message of repentance speaks perfectly to those who have been living out of step with His teachings.

The call to repentance is a call to change. Often, when we hear the word repent, we think we are being chastised or judged. The truth is that Jesus calls us to repent out of love. He wants us to redirect our lives. He wants us to turn away from the world and look toward the Lord. “Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is close at hand.” A simple yet powerful request.

How many times has Jesus asked you to look away from the world and turn toward Him? How many times have you found yourself in darkness, waiting for the light of Christ to enter your heart? So many of us struggle in life, and I believe the solution is as simple as the message in today’s Gospel: repent. Change your ways and draw closer to the Lord. Let go of the past and start fresh. Begin living a life as a follower of Christ, just as the disciples did when they simply followed Him. We are called to do the same.

The disciples are the perfect examples of what it means to be a follower of Christ. Each one of them was broken in his own way. They were not the “perfect candidates” to start a ministry—yet Jesus chose them, just as He chooses you and me. They were not powerful in a worldly sense. Their power came from something else. The power of a disciple rests in faith in Christ. That is real power. That is the light and freedom the prophet Isaiah spoke of. Today, we are reminded to turn away from the world, look toward the Lord, and know that the kingdom of Heaven is close at hand.