As we heard in today’s Gospel, after John the Baptist was arrested, Jesus left Nazareth and went to Capernaum and “[from] that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, ‘Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” This is the same message that John the Baptist preached to the people during his own ministry (Matthew 3:2); however, there is something more, something greater here. While John the Baptist was the “voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths’” (3:3), Jesus is “the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. . . I am baptizing you with water, for repentance. . . He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire” (3:11).
Jesus did not waste any time growing his ministry as he called on fisher men and brothers, Andrew and Peter and John and James, to come after him. From that time on, Jesus taught in the synagogues, proclaimed the Gospel of the Kingdom, and cured every disease and illness among the people. Jesus’ message was simple and yet profound: “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” The Greek word for “repent” is “metanoia”, which is a “profound change of heart accompanied by a turning away from sin.” With these words, our Lord Jesus Christ calls us to conversion, to turn away from sin, and gain the “Kingdom of heaven” or “the eternal happiness to which God calls his people” (Didache, p. 1264).
Today, we celebrate the Memorial of St. John Neumann, Bishop, who once wrote: “For in truth we are not called once only, but many times, all through our life Christ is calling us. He called us first in Baptism; but afterwards also; whether we obey His voice or not, He graciously calls us still. If we fall from our Baptism, He calls us to repent; if we are striving to fulfill our calling, He calls us on from grace to grace and from holiness to holiness, while life is given us.”
My sisters and brothers in Christ, this is what Jesus desires for all of us: “Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me” (John 12:26, 14:3). Recall this prayer of Jesus to the Father for his disciples and for us: “Father, they are your gift to me. I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory that you gave me, because you loved me before the foundation of the world” (17:24). And so, as we continue in this new year 2026, let us resolve to repent and “seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33).
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