Jesus Prays Alone by Mary DuCharme

Kindred in Christ,

This Sunday we will continue our Epiphany journey with a story that begins not with clarity or celebration, but with loss.

In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus hears that John the Baptist has been arrested. Jesus knows that John’s arrest is not temporary, but part of a path that so often ends in the death of prophets—and of his beloved friend. Before he preaches, before he gathers followers, before he heals or teaches, Jesus withdraws (Matthew 4:12-23). He pauses. He makes space for grief, prayer, and reflection. We often imagine Jesus surrounded by crowds, but throughout the Gospels we see him returning again and again to solitude, to prayer, and to time alone with God.

Only then does Jesus step forward to proclaim that the kingdom of heaven has come near. Only then does he call others to follow.

This Sunday we will reflect on what it means to listen for God’s call in seasons of grief, uncertainty, and vulnerability. We will explore how Jesus models a faith that does not rush past pain, how Psalm 27 gives voice to honest prayer in fearful times, and how discipleship is less about having everything figured out and more about trusting God’s presence as we move forward together.

We will also reflect on Jesus’ invitation to become fishers of people, not as a call to pressure or persuade, but as an invitation to live in ways that make space for others to experience the nearness of God’s kingdom.

If you are carrying grief, questions, restlessness, or simply the weight of the world, you are not alone and you are welcome. This will be a service grounded in honesty, hope, and the gentle light that meets us where we are.

I hope you will join us this Sunday as we listen again for the voice of Christ, who meets us in the midst of life and still says, “Follow me.”

Alongside you,

Pastor Paul Ortiz