Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 68
Lectionary: 68
The word of the
LORD came to Jonah, saying:
“Set out for the great city of Nineveh,
and announce to it the message that I will tell you.”
So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh,
according to the LORD’S bidding.
Now Nineveh was an enormously large city;
it took three days to go through it.
Jonah began his journey through the city,
and had gone but a single day’s walk announcing,
“Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed, “
when the people of Nineveh believed God;
they proclaimed a fast
and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth.
When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way,
he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them;
he did not carry it out.
“Set out for the great city of Nineveh,
and announce to it the message that I will tell you.”
So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh,
according to the LORD’S bidding.
Now Nineveh was an enormously large city;
it took three days to go through it.
Jonah began his journey through the city,
and had gone but a single day’s walk announcing,
“Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed, “
when the people of Nineveh believed God;
they proclaimed a fast
and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth.
When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way,
he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them;
he did not carry it out.
Responsorial PsalmPS 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R. (4a) Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your love are from of old.
In your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice
and teaches the humble his way.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your love are from of old.
In your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice
and teaches the humble his way.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Reading 21 COR 7:29-31
I tell you,
brothers and sisters, the time is running out.
From now on, let those having wives act as not having them,
those weeping as not weeping,
those rejoicing as not rejoicing,
those buying as not owning,
those using the world as not using it fully.
For the world in its present form is passing away.
From now on, let those having wives act as not having them,
those weeping as not weeping,
those rejoicing as not rejoicing,
those buying as not owning,
those using the world as not using it fully.
For the world in its present form is passing away.
AlleluiaMK 1:15
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMK 1:14-20
After John had been
arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:
“This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
As he passed by the Sea of Galilee,
he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea;
they were fishermen.
Jesus said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Then they abandoned their nets and followed him.
He walked along a little farther
and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They too were in a boat mending their nets.
Then he called them.
So they left their father Zebedee in the boat
along with the hired men and followed him.
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:
“This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
As he passed by the Sea of Galilee,
he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea;
they were fishermen.
Jesus said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Then they abandoned their nets and followed him.
He walked along a little farther
and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They too were in a boat mending their nets.
Then he called them.
So they left their father Zebedee in the boat
along with the hired men and followed him.
Scripture Study, Jan.
25, 2015
January 25, 2015 Third
Sunday in Ordinary Time
This Sunday the readings call us to consider
the role of sin and repentance in our lives. Jonah reminds us of the effect
that a call to repentance can have on people who are willing to listen to the
call. The disciples in the Gospel are called to follow Jesus. Such a call to
wholeheartedly follow the Lord is fundamentally a call to continual conversion
and repentance. We are constantly being called to turn, more and more away from
sin and more and more towards God. This was true in the first century and it is
still true in the 21st century. Paul reminds us that the totality of our
commitment must affect how we live. While often, the outward acts may not be
much different than those of the society around us, our inner motives and
purposes must be those of Christ.
First Reading: Jonah 3:1-5, 10
1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce to it
the message that I will tell you.” 3 So Jonah made
ready and went to Nineveh, according to the LORD’S bidding. Now Nineveh was an
enormously large city; it took three days to go through it. 4 Jonah began his journey through the city, and had gone but
a single day’s walk announcing, “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be
destroyed,” 5 when the people of Nineveh believed God;
they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth.
10 When God saw by their actions how they turned from their
evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them; he did
not carry it out.
NOTES on First Reading:
* 3:3 After having refused to obey God before,
this time Jonah goes to Nineveh apparently having realized that he can’t get
away from God.
* 3:4 The Hebrew expression for “shall be
destroyed” is probably intended to remind the reader of the “overthrowing” of
the wicked cities, Sodom and Gomorrah, by a special act of God (Gen 18:21;
19:13, 25).
The city is described as being so large that
it takes three days to go through it (Jonah 3:3). The city was legendary for
both the enormity of its size and the enormity of its cruelty and violence. The
greatness of the miracle is enhanced by the conversion having happened after
Jonah had barely begun his preaching. The suddenness and totality of the
conversion are contrasted against the barely begun half-hearted efforts of an
unenthusiastic and reluctant prophet.
In Hebrew, the proclamation of Jonah is barely
five words long and yet it achieves an incredible effect on the people.
In the scriptures forty is usually a symbolic number referring to a sufficient amount. It usually means as long as or as much as is necessary.
In the scriptures forty is usually a symbolic number referring to a sufficient amount. It usually means as long as or as much as is necessary.
* 3:5 This verse expresses the total change
that Nineveh underwent. The term that is translated as “believed God” is the
same term used in key texts such as Gen 15:6 and Exod 14:31 where Abraham and
the people of God respond with true faith in God. It refers to something far
greater than simply believing the words of Jonah’s warning. Wearing sackcloth
was an ancient sign of repentance.
* 3:10 St. Augustine wrote that Nineveh was
indeed “overthrown. ” It was “overthrown in evil, but rebuilt in goodness.”
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 7: 29-31
29 I tell you, brothers, the time is running out. From now
on, let those having wives act as not having them, 30 those weeping as not weeping, those rejoicing as not
rejoicing, those buying as not owning, 31 those using the
world as not using it fully. For the world in its present form is passing away.
NOTES on Second Reading:
* 7:29-31 Paul believes that the world will
pass away soon because Jesus is about to return and so he advises Christians to
go about all the ordinary activities of life in a manner which is different
from the rest of humanity who are totally immersed in those activities and are
unaware of their transitory nature. Today, most of us are not expecting Jesus’
return to be imminent but the advice is still good because the world as we know
it is passing away. Regardless of how much time is left before the return of
Jesus, He will come and the world will pass away. For us the question must be:
” Is my life ordered toward the passing values of the world or is it ordered
toward the everlasting values of Jesus?”
Gospel Reading: Mark 1: 14-20
14 After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee
proclaiming the gospel of God: 15 “This is the
time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the
gospel.”
16 As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his
brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. 17 Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you
fishers of men.” 18 Then they abandoned their nets and
followed him. 19 He walked along a little farther and saw
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat
mending their nets. 20 Then he called them. So they left their
father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.
NOTES on Gospel:
*1:14 In Jesus, the Kingdom of God is near and
that is Good News. The Rule of God is described in Ps 97:1-12 98:1-9 99:1-9.
* 1:15 The word, “Fulfilled,” expresses the
continuity between the stages of God’s plan. The Kingdom of God is present when
the will of God is done. In Jesus the will of God is lived out perfectly and so
the Kingdom of God is always present in Him.
* 1:18 In abandoning their nets, the newly
called disciples leave their old lives behind in a radical response to the call
to repent and believe in the Good News. Repenting and believing the Good News
is the same as following Jesus. It is still the way to follow Him today.
Although not all are called to live it out in such a radical way, all are
called to follow Jesus with the same radical degree of commitment.
* 1:19 Peter, James and John form the inner
circle of Jesus’ followers. They form his special prayer team who go with Him
into the house of Jarius (5:37), the mount of transfiguration (9:2), and in the
Garden of Gethsemane (14:33). Gal 2:9 says that they were considered to be
pillars of the church.
Meditation: "The
kingdom of God is at hand"
What is the Gospel
of God which Jesus came to preach? The word "gospel"
literally means "good news". When a king had good news to deliver to
his subjects he sent messengers or heralds throughout the land to make a public
announcement - such as the birth of a newborn king or the victory over an
invading army or occupied force. God sent his prophets to announce the coming
of God's anointed King and Messiah. After Jesus was baptized in the River
Jordan and anointed by the Spirit he begins his ministry of preaching the
Gospel - the good news that the kingdom of God was now at hand for all who were
ready to receive it.
God rules over
all
What is the kingdom of God? The word "kingdom" means something more than a territory or an area of land. It literally means "sovereignty" or "reign" and the power to "rule" and exercise authority. The prophets announced that God would establish a kingdom not just for one nation or people but for the whole world. The Scriptures tell us that God's throne is in heaven and his rule is over all (Psalm 103:19). His kingdom is bigger and more powerful than anything we can imagine because it is universal and everlasting (Daniel 4:3). His kingdom is full of glory, power, and splendor (Psalm 145:11-13).
What is the kingdom of God? The word "kingdom" means something more than a territory or an area of land. It literally means "sovereignty" or "reign" and the power to "rule" and exercise authority. The prophets announced that God would establish a kingdom not just for one nation or people but for the whole world. The Scriptures tell us that God's throne is in heaven and his rule is over all (Psalm 103:19). His kingdom is bigger and more powerful than anything we can imagine because it is universal and everlasting (Daniel 4:3). His kingdom is full of glory, power, and splendor (Psalm 145:11-13).
In the Book of Daniel
we are told that this kingdom is given to the Son of Man (Daniel
7:14,18,22,27). The Son of Man is a Messianic title for God's
anointed King. The New Testament word for "Messiah" is
"Christ" which literally means the "Anointed One" or the
"Anointed King". God sent us his Son not to establish an earthly
kingdom but to bring us into his heavenly kingdom - a kingdom ruled by truth,
justice, peace, and holiness. The kingdom of God is the central theme of Jesus'
mission. It's the core of his gospel message.
As soon as John the
Baptist had finished his testimony, Jesus began his in Galilee, his home
district. John's enemies had sought to silence him, but the gospel cannot be
silenced. Jesus proclaimed that the time is fulfilled and the kingdom
of God is at hand. Jesus takes up John's message of repentance and
calls disciples to believe in the gospel - the good news he has come to
deliver. What is the good news which Jesus delivers? It is the good
news of peace (restoration of relationship with God - Ephesians 6:15), of hope
(the hope of heaven and everlasting life - Colossians 1:23 ), of truth (God's
word is true and reliable - Colossians 1:5), of promise (he rewards those who
seek him - Ephesians 3:6)), of immortality (God gives everlasting life - 2
Timothy 1:10), and the good news of salvation (liberty from sin and freedom to
live as sons and daughters of God - Ephesians 1:13).
Two conditions
for the kingdom - repent and believe
How do we enter the kingdom of God? In announcing the good news, Jesus gave two explicit things each of us must do to in order to receive the kingdom of God: repent and believe. When we submit to Christ's rule in our lives and believe the gospel message the Lord Jesus gives us the grace and power to live a new way of life as citizens of his kingdom. He gives us grace to renounce the kingdom of darkness ruled by sin and Satan, the father of lies (John 8:44) and the ruler of this present world (John 12:31). That is why repentance is the first step.
How do we enter the kingdom of God? In announcing the good news, Jesus gave two explicit things each of us must do to in order to receive the kingdom of God: repent and believe. When we submit to Christ's rule in our lives and believe the gospel message the Lord Jesus gives us the grace and power to live a new way of life as citizens of his kingdom. He gives us grace to renounce the kingdom of darkness ruled by sin and Satan, the father of lies (John 8:44) and the ruler of this present world (John 12:31). That is why repentance is the first step.
Repentance means to
change - to change my way of thinking, my attitude, disposition, and life
choices so that Christ can be the Lord and Master of my heart rather than sin,
selfishness, and greed. If we are only sorry for the consequences of our sins,
we will very likely keep repeating the sin that is mastering us. True
repentance requires a contrite heart (Psalm 51:17) and sorrow for sin and a
firm resolution to avoid it in the future. The Lord Jesus gives us grace to see
sin for what it really is - a rejection of his love and wisdom for our lives
and a refusal to do what is good and in accord with his will. His grace brings
pardon and help for turning away from everything that would keep us from his
love and truth.
To believe is to take
Jesus at his word and to recognize that God loved us so much that he sent his
only begotten Son to free us from bondage to sin and harmful desires. God made
the supreme sacrifice of his Son on the cross to bring us back to a
relationship of peace and friendship with himself. He is our Father and he
wants us to live as his sons and daughters. God loved us first and he invites
us in love to surrender our lives to him. Do you believe that the gospel -the
good news of Jesus - has power to free you from bondage to sin and fear?
Like fishermen -
we are called to gather in people for the kingdom of Christ
When Jesus preached the gospel message he called others to follow as his disciples and he gave them a mission - "to catch people for the kingdom of God." What kind of disciples did he choose? Smelly fishermen! In the choice of the first apostles we see a characteristic feature of Jesus' work: he chose very ordinary people. They were non-professionals, had no wealth or position. They were chosen from the common people who did ordinary things, had no special education, and no social advantages. Jesus wanted ordinary people who could take an assignment and do it extraordinarily well. He chose these individuals, not for what they were, but for what they would be capable of becoming under his direction and power.
When Jesus preached the gospel message he called others to follow as his disciples and he gave them a mission - "to catch people for the kingdom of God." What kind of disciples did he choose? Smelly fishermen! In the choice of the first apostles we see a characteristic feature of Jesus' work: he chose very ordinary people. They were non-professionals, had no wealth or position. They were chosen from the common people who did ordinary things, had no special education, and no social advantages. Jesus wanted ordinary people who could take an assignment and do it extraordinarily well. He chose these individuals, not for what they were, but for what they would be capable of becoming under his direction and power.
When the Lord calls us
to serve, we must not think we have nothing to offer. The Lord takes what
ordinary people, like us, can offer and uses it for greatness in his kingdom.
Do you believe that God wants to work in and through you for his glory?
Jesus speaks the same
message to us today: we will "catch people" for the kingdom of God if
we allow the light of Jesus Christ to shine through us. God wants others to see
the light of Christ in us in the way we live, speak, and witness the joy of the
gospel. Paul the Apostles says, But thanks be to God, who in Christ
Jesus always leads us in triumph, and through us spreads the fragrance of the
knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those
who are being saved and among those who are perishing (2 Corinthians
2:15). Do you witness to those around you the joy of the Gospel and do you pray
for your neighbors, co-workers, and relatives that they may come to know the
Lord Jesus Christ and grow in the knowledge of his love?
"Lord Jesus, you
have called me personally by name, just as you called your first disciples,
Simon, Andrew, James, and John. Help me to believe your word and follow you
faithfully. Fill me with the joy of the gospel that your light may shine
through me to many others."
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Come Follow Me
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January 25, 2015.
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
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By Father Jason Brooks, LC
Mark 1:14-20
After John had been
arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of God: "This is
the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe
in the Gospel." As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his
brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus
said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."
Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. He walked along a little
farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too
were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their
father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.
Introductory
Prayer: Lord, I adore you. You
alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in the Glory of God the Father. Lord, I
love you and wish to know you more intimately, since you are goodness and
mercy itself.
Petition: Lord, grant that I may follow you faithfully all
the days of my life.
1. Repent
and Believe in the Good News: There is no time to waste. We have one
life to live and only one chance to live it. Jesus is trying to tell us that
we have to make the most of it. We have heard about Jesus before. Perhaps we
have been going to church and listening to his word for decades. However,
have we allowed Christ’s message of love and mercy to penetrate our heart?
Have we turned away from all attachment to sin in our life and really
followed the Gospel?
2. Follow Me
and I Will Make You Fishers of Men: We can’t forget that the essence
of Christianity is following Jesus, the Son of God. As his mother Mary told
the waiters at the wedding at Cana, “Do whatever he tells you” (John 2:5).
Jesus is the real protagonist in our lives. He takes the initiative to call
us to himself and to follow him more closely. He invites us to follow him in
proclaiming the Good News to the whole world. It is not enough to know
Christ. We have to share our faith with others and let the Gospel direct our
decision-making process.
3. Leaving
Their Father in the Boat, They Followed Him: We naturally want to be
comfortable and do things familiar to us. In fact, most ads we see appeal to
our desire to rest and be secure. However, Jesus breaks the mold and commands
us to leave our comfort zone. Unless we first change ourselves, we cannot
expect to change the world. Until we first dedicate ourselves to knowing
Christ better and more intimately, we will not be ardent apostles of his
kingdom. Only after we have had a personal encounter with Christ can we
experience the bliss of loving him more and cooperating in his saving
mission. As Pope Saint John Paul II so often encouraged us, echoing the words
of Christ himself, “Be not afraid!” Don’t be afraid to leave your comfort
zone to serve Christ in love.
Conversation with
Christ: Jesus, I want to follow
you more closely. Help me to know you as you are so that I can love you as
you deserve to be loved. Eternal Father, grant me the fullness of your grace,
which consumes all weakness, so that my heart will be lifted up with an
indescribable enthusiasm to embrace my cross and follow faithfully in the
footsteps of your Son.
Resolution: Today I will perform an act of charity that I
have neglected or been afraid to do for some time.
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THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, JANUARY 25,
MARK 1:14-20
(Jonah 3:1-5,10; Psalm 25; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31)
(Jonah 3:1-5,10; Psalm 25; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31)
KEY VERSE: "Follow me and I will make you fish for people" (v 17).
TO KNOW: With John's arrest, Jesus continued the Baptist's proclamation: repent and believe the good news that God's reign was at hand. The long-awaited fulfillment of God's promises had arrived in the person and ministry of Jesus Christ. As Jesus preached along the Sea of Galilee, he called four fishermen to be his first disciples. Simon and his brother Andrew immediately responded to Jesus' call. James and John, another pair of brothers, left their family and livelihood to follow him. Jesus promised his disciples that they would be instruments to spread the gospel throughout the world. During their journey together, they would discover that there were no half-measures to serving the Lord. Faith demands conversion and repentance, not just once but as a lifelong process.
TO LOVE: Lord Jesus, help me to hear and obey your call.
TO SERVE: What am I willing to give up so as to serve the Lord?
Sunday 25 January 2015
3rd Sunday in Ordinary
Time. G.
Jonah 3:1-5, 10. Teach me your ways, O Lord—Ps 24(25):4-9. 1 Corinthians 7:29-31. Mark 1:14-20 [Conversion of St Paul].
Jonah 3:1-5, 10. Teach me your ways, O Lord—Ps 24(25):4-9. 1 Corinthians 7:29-31. Mark 1:14-20 [Conversion of St Paul].
The three readings have
much in common.
First, there is a sense of
urgency. Do it now; do not delay; time is running out.
Second, a turning away from sin and a turning to God—an about turn, a conversion.
Third, a new way of life, a program of reform.
Second, a turning away from sin and a turning to God—an about turn, a conversion.
Third, a new way of life, a program of reform.
As we begin a new year, let
us ask ourselves, Am I just drifting? Do I pray from my heart?
Or do I just go through the actions of being committed to God? Am I superficial? What does my program of reform entail?
Or do I just go through the actions of being committed to God? Am I superficial? What does my program of reform entail?
We pray for a real
commitment to God, and a conversion to let Jesus rule our life. Teach me your
ways, O Lord.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
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Worth Dying For
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If you’re confused as to why God would die for you, you either
need to rethink your vision of His mercy or of your own worth.
January
25
Conversion of St. Paul
Conversion of St. Paul
Paul’s entire life can be explained in terms of one experience—his
meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus. In an instant, he saw that all the
zeal of his dynamic personality was being wasted, like the strength of a boxer
swinging wildly. Perhaps he had never seen Jesus, who was only a few years
older. But he had acquired a zealot’s hatred of all Jesus stood for, as he
began to harass the Church: “...entering house after house and dragging out men
and women, he handed them over for imprisonment” (Acts 8:3b). Now he himself
was “entered,” possessed, all his energy harnessed to one goal—being a slave of
Christ in the ministry of reconciliation, an instrument to help others
experience the one Savior.
One
sentence determined his theology: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (Acts
9:5b). Jesus was mysteriously identified with people—the loving group of people
Saul had been running down like criminals. Jesus, he saw, was the mysterious
fulfillment of all he had been blindly pursuing.
From then
on, his only work was to “present everyone perfect in Christ. For this I labor
and struggle, in accord with the exercise of his power working within me”
(Colossians 1:28b-29). “For our gospel did not come to you in word alone, but
also in power and in the Holy Spirit and [with] much conviction” (1 Thessalonians
1:5a).
Paul’s
life became a tireless proclaiming and living out of the message of the cross:
Christians die baptismally to sin and are buried with Christ; they are dead to
all that is sinful and unredeemed in the world. They are made into a new creation,
already sharing Christ’s victory and someday to rise from the dead like him.
Through this risen Christ the Father pours out the Spirit on them, making them
completely new.
So Paul’s
great message to the world was: You are saved entirely by God, not by anything
you can do. Saving faith is the gift of total, free, personal and loving
commitment to Christ, a commitment that then bears fruit in more “works” than
the Law could ever contemplate.
Comment:
Paul is undoubtedly hard to understand. His style often reflects the rabbinical style of argument of his day, and often his thought skips on mountaintops while we plod below. But perhaps our problems are accentuated by the fact that so many beautiful jewels have become part of the everyday coin in our Christian language (see quote, below).
Paul is undoubtedly hard to understand. His style often reflects the rabbinical style of argument of his day, and often his thought skips on mountaintops while we plod below. But perhaps our problems are accentuated by the fact that so many beautiful jewels have become part of the everyday coin in our Christian language (see quote, below).
Quote:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).
“Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).
LECTIO DIVINA:
3RD SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (B)
Lectio:
Sunday, January 25, 2015
The beginning and the call of the first apostles
Mark 1:14-20
Mark 1:14-20
1. Opening prayer
Shaddai, God of the mountain,
who make of our fragile life
the rock of your dwelling,
lead our minds
to strike the rock of the desert,
so that water may gush out to quench our thirst.
May our poor feelings
cover us as with a mantle in the darkness of the night
and open our hearts to hear the echo of the Silence,
so that the dawn,
which enfolds us with the light of a new day,
may lead us
to taste the holy memory,
together with the remnant ashes of the fire of the pastors of the Absolute
who on our behalf have kept watch near the divine Master.
who make of our fragile life
the rock of your dwelling,
lead our minds
to strike the rock of the desert,
so that water may gush out to quench our thirst.
May our poor feelings
cover us as with a mantle in the darkness of the night
and open our hearts to hear the echo of the Silence,
so that the dawn,
which enfolds us with the light of a new day,
may lead us
to taste the holy memory,
together with the remnant ashes of the fire of the pastors of the Absolute
who on our behalf have kept watch near the divine Master.
2. Lectio
14 After John had
been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the gospel from God
saying, 15 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God
is close at hand. Repent, and believe the gospel.'
16 As he was walking along by the Lake of Galilee he saw Simon and Simon's brother Andrew casting a net in the lake -- for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, 'Come after me and I will make you into fishers of people.' 18And at once they left their nets and followed him. 19 Going on a little further, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they too were in their boat, mending the nets. 20 At once he called them and, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the men he employed, they went after him.
16 As he was walking along by the Lake of Galilee he saw Simon and Simon's brother Andrew casting a net in the lake -- for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, 'Come after me and I will make you into fishers of people.' 18And at once they left their nets and followed him. 19 Going on a little further, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they too were in their boat, mending the nets. 20 At once he called them and, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the men he employed, they went after him.
3. A moment of silent prayer
so that the voice of the Word may echo in our hearts.
4. Meditatio
Some questions to assist us in our meditation and prayer.
a) The time has come, the Realm is close at hand: do we believe
that we are in Galilee and that the Gospel of God is being preached to us?
b) Jesus walks along: in which sea are we casting our nets?
c) Follow me…and immediately they followed him: is there urgency in our daily life or do we go on saying: wait a minute?
d) In their boat, they were mending their nets: how many rips are there in our nets? In which boat are we dwelling? Is it our boat or is it that of our roots of the past?
e) He called them: our name is on the lips of our Lord Jesus. Does his voice echo as the voice of one who leads us away from our sea?
b) Jesus walks along: in which sea are we casting our nets?
c) Follow me…and immediately they followed him: is there urgency in our daily life or do we go on saying: wait a minute?
d) In their boat, they were mending their nets: how many rips are there in our nets? In which boat are we dwelling? Is it our boat or is it that of our roots of the past?
e) He called them: our name is on the lips of our Lord Jesus. Does his voice echo as the voice of one who leads us away from our sea?
5. A key to the reading
for those who wish to go deeper into the text.
We have here a literary genre of vocation stories where the
condition of life of the person addressed by God is first described, then
follows the call expressed in symbolic words or actions, and finally comes the
following which involves the abandoning of the activity first described. The
call in our text reminds us of the call of Elisha by Elijah (1 Kings, 19:19-21)
and that of Amos (Am 7:15). The dependence on a typical biblical model does not
exclude the substantial historical reality of the Gospel story. The similarity
of the calls underscores a clear theological meaning in Mark’s Gospel, that is,
the missionary practice of the disciples who will be sent in pairs (Mk 6:7).
The dynamics of the Realm are in line with the original project of the creation
when the Lord, thinking of Adam, said, "It is not good that man should be
alone. I will make him a helpmate" (Gen 2:18). In their preaching mission,
one will witness to the other, as Scripture says, "…the evidence of two or
three witnesses is required" (cf Mt 18:16; Dt 19:15).
v.14. Jesus went to Galilee. There he proclaimed the Gospel from
God. Jesus’ preaching
begins in Galilee and has for aim the Gospel, "the Good News" of
God’s initiative towards his people, the establishment of the Realm. The
Apostles’ preaching will go from Galilee to the ends of the earth and will have
for aim the Gospel, "the Good News" of the Christ Word who has
conquered death in order to make God’s glory shine.
v.15. The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is close at
hand. Repent, and
believe the Gospel. The time of waiting (kairòs) is over, the decisive moment
has come: God is about to begin his reign. John the Baptist belonged to the
time of preparation and completed his mission, he was apprehended and put to
silence. Jesus belongs to the time of the establishment of the reign. Indeed,
it is the present that demands from human beings their collaboration: Repent.
The coming of the reign points to this space of freedom where whoever listens
to the proclamation can come to this space by turning to Christ, or turn from
it by ignoring or refusing the good news. A Realm that is close to all, present
to all who desire it. Conversion, faith and following are three aspects of the
same thing, that is, the call to all to follow Jesus who is the of time, reign
of God, Good News.
v.16. As he was walking along by the Lake of Galilee he saw
Simon and Simon's brother Andrew… The Lake of Galilee is the background of the first phase of
Jesus’ ministry. A lake that is surrounded by mountains, 208 metres above sea
level, 21 km long and 11 km wide. This body of water, in the shape of a cither,
was a source of living because of the abundance of fish in it. On the shore of
this lake Jesus saw: this look involves and determines a choice of life
different from the daily life seen on these shores made up of fishermen, boats,
nets and fish. Simon and Andrew, two brothers. The solidarity of this affective
bond serves as a basis for the new bond of faith that makes brothers of them
beyond the ties of family. Two brothers who bear one name. God calls by name in
virtue of that identity of similarity with the eternal Name that renders each
person a mirror of similarity.
v.17. Come after me and I will make you into fishers of people.This following is determined by a clear order.
It is not an invitation, it is a command. The creative Word of God, that called
the light and the other creatures into being, now calls his image to take part
in the new creation. The following does not come from an autonomous and
personal decision, but from a meeting with the person of Jesus who calls. It is
an action of grace, not a human choice. Jesus does not wait for a free
decision, but calls with divine authority as God called the prophets in the Old
Testament. It is not the disciples who choose their master as was the custom
with rabbis in those days, but the master who chooses his disciples as
repositories, not of a doctrine or teaching, but of God’s inheritance. The call
means abandoning one’s family, profession, a complete change of life in order
to adhere to a life that does not allow for personal space. The disciples are
men of the Realm. The call to become disciples of Jesus is an
"eschatological call".
v.18. And at once they left their nets and followed him. The response is immediate. A response
that tears even the strongest ties. The verb used to indicate the following is
akolouthèin, a biblical term to indicate the action of a servant who goes with
his master to render him a service. It is a material following, a literal
"going after". When it refers to the disciples, it expresses full
participation in the life of Jesus and his cause.
v.19. Going on a little further, he saw James the son of Zebedee
and his brother John…He called them. The
verb to call, kalein, is another term typical of following. There is an added
element compared to the call of the firs two: the figure of the father and of
the workers. The father also has a name. The fact that he is deprived of his
two sons gives him a unique dignity. He remains alone with the workers who will
take the place of the sons. The solitude of those left behind is never a
senseless solitude.
Reflection: John
had been apprehended and Jesus walks in Galilee. Two paths at the service of
the one Lord. The time has come. That time that humankind cannot seize and
possess is fulfilled and demands a change of direction. The time for a sea and
nets to fish elsewhere. Men and women are called so that nothing of who they
are may be lost. Their identity remains, what changes is only the aim of their
actions. No more fish, but men. No more relationship with inferior creatures,
but a relationship of equality with creatures of equal dignity. New nets to be
mended, the nets of a demanding kind of fishing: they are the nets of preaching
that will be cast into the hearts of people during the night of pain and lack
of feeling. The words "Follow me", like a key, open up new horizons.
One does not venture alone on this adventure. Bonds are not broken. The
brothers become more so, they still share the bitter experience of earning a
living, not seeking for themselves but giving to others. The sea, symbol of
everything that cannot be controlled, is there with the familiar and calm
movement of the waters that break on the shore and say: Go. Jesus, a man among
so many, is the God who approaches the shores of the sea, a God who walks into
the life of human beings. A God who sees with human eyes, a God who speaks with
new authority: Follow me. And those men who were fishermen, at once left and
followed him. They leave for another sea, the sea of firm land, the sea of villages,
the sea of the temple, the sea of the streets. They leave at the call of a gaze
that beckons, a gaze capable of convincing them to leave everything, not just
their boats, the sea, the nets, but even their father, their history, their
affections, the very origin of their being. Friends who at night entrusted
themselves to the waves of the Sea of Galilee, leave their zone of safety for
far away seas. It is an old friendship that leaves, not knowing for where, but
with hearts bearing the warmth of a voice and a look: Follow me.
6. Oratio – Psalm 86 (85)
All the nations you have made shall come
to bow before you, Lord,
and give honour to your name.
For you are great and do wondrous deeds;
and you alone are God. Teach me, Lord, your way
that I may walk in your truth,
single-hearted and revering your name.
to bow before you, Lord,
and give honour to your name.
For you are great and do wondrous deeds;
and you alone are God. Teach me, Lord, your way
that I may walk in your truth,
single-hearted and revering your name.
I will praise you with all my heart,
glorify your name forever, Lord my God.
glorify your name forever, Lord my God.
7. Contemplatio
Lord, my expectations are fulfilled in your temple. You, the
Living One, who continue to go to the shores of human life, that like a lake in
the shape of a cither silently marks the scanning of its hours, pass and see,
call… I shall know you when you call me by name and I shall follow you like a
wayfarer who picks up his walking stick to go to paths of friendship and of
meeting, where the heart crosses into the Absolute of God, to be a living flame
in the darkness of human desire, a warmth that spreads where the cold wind of
evil destroys and diverts from the horizons of truth and beauty. I know that
without you I shall catch nothing in the night of my solitude and delusion. My
nets will rip when you tear me away from the bitter waters of my exertions and
you will give me to myself, transformed with pardon, received and given with
full hands. I shall then proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters. Amen.
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