January 26, 2020

Linda Murphy

Epiphany 3     Matthew 4:12-23

Video available on YouTube, Facebook

It is Anniversary weekend, so we are at the end of January 2020 only eleven months left to the end of the year. Most of us are back at work and planning our year ahead. This is a time of hope and opportunity, a time to consider a new occupation or project and a time of renewal or change.

Matthew tells us, Jesus begins his ministry after hearing of John’s arrest, with no other explanation.

According to Reza Aslan, in his book Zealot, the economy of the fishing town on the shores of Galilee, Capernaum had become almost wholly centred on serving the needs of the new cities, “especially the new capital, Tiberias”.

The majority of Capernaum’s residents had been left behind by the new Galilean economy.

It would be these people whom Jesus would specially focus his attention. Those who found themselves cast to the fringes of society, whose lives had been disrupted by the rapid social and economic shifts taking place throughout Galilee.

Unique to Matthew, these words indicate that Jesus’ move to Capernaum, “in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali”, took place so that “what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled.”

The Romans rule Galilee with the assistance of the client rulers such as Herod and landowners. The population is suffering.

The quote, “The people who sat in darkness”: reflects the darkness of this imperial Roman control that is contrary to God’s purposes.

Jesus ministry is to manifest God’s salvation by transforming personal misery; by announcing God’s empire; by forming an alternative community; and anticipating the future establishment of God’s empire.

Jesus began to preach a word of metanoia: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” The word metanoia, or repent, means to turn around, change or become new. These are positive words coming from Jesus.

Not the usual interpretation of repent because you have done something wrong.

The light is Jesus presence, which manifests God’s empire. His pubic ministry of preaching, teaching and healing is about to commence.

As a light to the world, the community of disciples will continue his message of transformation.

Matthew continues by relating the call of the first disciples, fishermen who unconditionally obeyed Jesus when he told them to “follow me, and I will make you fish for people.”

One hundred years ago Jasper Calder answered a similar calling and commenced a ministry of “winning souls for Christ” under the name of the City Mission of the Anglican Church. Jasper saw the church as not only an evangelical entity but also a social establishment. The Mission quickly became a ministry of social support, advocating against injustice due to the economics of the time. 

Within ten years we were experiencing the trauma of the Great Depression.

This mission is now known as the Auckland City Mission and we continue to offer social support and advocacy against injustice to the desperate people of Auckland.

Over the last one hundred years the Mission has adapted to the call of Auckland’s social needs in many ways: Selwyn Village opened in the 1950s and we had Herne Bay House during the Aids epidemic. If anyone is interested there is a timeline of the Mission’s services on the wall on Hobson St where our new building Homeground is being constructed. 

While in our temporary home in Union St, we continue to develop to meet the needs of Auckland’s society who are on the margins.

We are offering new hope with the opening of a new wahine service: Te Whare Hinatore, the house of light, curiosity and a desire for change.

Let me share the story of Hinatore from the Maori creation story.

During the period when Rangunui (Rangi) and Papatuanuku (Papa) were still in a close embrace, two of their tamariki, Te Maamaru and Peketua, glimpsed a light under the armpit of their mother Papa.

They went to investigate as they were unhappy living in a dark, cramped place but were stopped by Whiro (another child of Papa and Rangi often represented by having a negative and/or obstructive attitude).

The light they glimpsed was Hinatore.

Through the brothers’ adventure to find out who or what she was, they experienced curiosity, the desire for change, hope for something better and the awareness of something new.

Within our new wahine programme Hinatore represents each individual wahine’s personal dream or vision of what their life could be and their journey towards it. This service opened on Friday in their own building in Union St offering fifteen bedsits for the wahine who has been referred.

This is a very exciting and positive programme with a new team and vision for the Mission.

Our world has need for metanoia, we need to turn around and change for our environment. We need to embrace each other regardless of gender, race, class, faith or sexual orientation.

The message of Jesus’ ministry is relevant to us now and as it was to Te Maamaru and Peketua.

The Mission is looking into all their services in preparation to our return to Homeground. We are changing where change is needed to respond to the needs being faced in our own community.

Similar to the inhabitants of Capernaum 2000 years ago, social and economic changes have meant we have an increasing population of the marginalised.

I often wonder if Jasper Calder envisioned his Mission would be working for social change into a second century with no sign of need ceasing in sight.