Hanging On & Letting Go

3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time (A)

(Sunday of the Word of God)

Readings: Isaiah 8:23-9:3; Psalm 26 (27):1, 4, 13-14; 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17; Matthew 4:12-23

Picture: By sehoon ye on Unsplash

What does it feel like to have to let go of something we are clinging to very tightly? Some of us may remember this old story… An atheist falls off a steep cliff, and grabs hold of a dry branch. But he knows it’s only a matter of time before the branch breaks, and he falls to his death. What to do? There’s no one else around. In his desperation, he looks up at the sky, and shouts, If there’s anyone up there, please help me! To his surprise, a voice answers, Don’t worry. I’ll help you. Let go! The atheist thinks for a moment. Then he looks up again and yells, Is there anyone else up there?… How difficult it is to let go, when we have nothing else to hang on to, except a strange voice. Wouldn’t it be easier for the atheist, if an actual person were to show up, and stretch out his hand for him to cling to instead?

In each of our readings today, we find people having to let go of something to which they are clinging tightly. The first reading tells us that the people living in the north––in the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali––are walking in darkness. For their nation has been conquered by the Assyrians. Their land occupied. Their lives oppressed. It’s as though they have fallen off a cliff. And the prophet knows why. It’s because they have turned away from the one true God, and worshipped foreign gods. What they need to do is to let go of their idolatry, and turn back to God. But it’s hard for them to do this on their own. Like the atheist, they find it difficult to trust an invisible God. Easier to cling to idols. But still God refuses to forsake them. God promises to send them a light to brighten their darkness, a leader to release them from oppression.

In the gospel, Jesus begins his public ministry in the exact same places mentioned in the first reading. And the gospel identifies him as the One who comes to fulfil God’s promise. He is the chosen Leader and Light sent by God. Not just for those who live in the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali, but for all peoples. All who have separated themselves from God. All who have fallen off a cliff, and into darkness. Everyone, including us. For God knows how hard it is to trust an invisible voice. So, to make it easier, through Jesus, God becomes a living breathing human being. A warm caring hand, reaching out to us. Someone we can cling to, in order to more easily let go of our sin. Isn’t this why, in the gospel, we find Jesus inviting us to do two different things? Not just to repent, but also to follow him. Not just to let go of our sinful habits and attitudes. But also to cling to Jesus. To be his disciple. To share his mission. To allow him to transform us into fishers of people.

And it’s important for us to realise that these two things are closely connected. The letting go of sin, and the clinging to Jesus. For just as it’s difficult for the atheist to let go of his branch, so too is it hard for us to repent of our sin. Unless we follow Jesus. Unless we keep committing our lives to him. As the first disciples are doing in the gospel. Not just once and for all, but every single day. Isn’t this what St Paul is asking the Corinthians to do in the second reading? For even though they are baptised Christians, even though they’ve already committed themselves to Jesus, the Corinthians seem to have again fallen into darkness. By clinging to their slogans, they are allowing themselves to be divided, instead of united. So Paul encourages them to let go. How? By clinging instead to Jesus. By remembering how he loved us so much that he allowed himself to be crucified to save us.

As difficult as it is to let go of our sins, God actually makes it easier for us, by sending Jesus for us to cling to instead. And isn’t this something we need to constantly keep in mind, especially when we may find ourselves struggling with something we need to let go? A bad habit. An unhealthy relationship. A persistent worry weighing heavily upon our heart… For doesn’t it often feel as though the harder we try to let go of such things, the tighter they cling to us? Such that it’s easy for us to be discouraged, and to feel like giving up. Especially at such times, perhaps we might try shifting our focus away from ourselves, and onto the Lord. Remembering how much he loves us. How much he has suffered for us. How much he wants to draw us ever closer to him. And then to gently allow him to do so. Allow our hearts to be drawn to him. Allow our thoughts, actions, our whole life to be reorganised around him.

And isn’t this where the Word of God can be so helpful? Whether we’re listening to it attentively as it’s proclaimed at Mass, or sharing our reflections on it in a group, or pondering over it prayerfully on our own, the Word of God can help us encounter the Lord. Not just as a historical person, who lived long ago. But as someone alive and active even now, within us and among us. Someone who’s still reaching out to us, to befriend us and rescue us. Regularly meditating over the Word of God. Isn’t this how we can follow the psalmist’s instruction? To hope in him, hold firm and take heart. Hope in the Lord.

Brothers and sisters, whether or not we may be feeling like we’ve fallen off a cliff, what can we do to cling ever more tightly to the Lord today?