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 111 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.
Alleluia MK 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.
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."
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Common people on an uncommon mission, by Eusebius of Caesarea (260/263-340 AD)
"Reflect on the nature and grandeur of the one
Almighty God who could associate himself with the poor of the lowly fisherman's
class. To use them to carry out God's mission baffles all rationality. For
having conceived the intention, which no one ever before had done, of spreading
his own commands and teachings to all nations, and of revealing himself as the
teacher of the religion of the one Almighty God to all humanity, he thought
good to use the most unsophisticated and common people as ministers of his own
design. Maybe God just wanted to work in the most unlikely way. For how could
inarticulate folk be made able to teach, even if they were appointed teachers
to only one person, much less to a multitude? How should those who were
themselves without education instruct the nations?... When he had thus called
them as his followers, he breathed into them his divine power, and filled them
with strength and courage. As God himself he spoke God’s true word to them in
his own way, enabling them to do great wonders, and made them pursuers of
rational and thinking souls, by empowering them to come after him, saying:
'Come, follow me, and I will make you fish for people' (Mark 1:17, Matthew
4:19). With this empowerment God sent them forth to be workers and teachers of
holiness to all the nations, declaring them heralds of his own
teaching." (excerpt from PROOF OF THE GOSPEL
3.7)
3rd Sunday of Advent – Cycle B
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
Introduction
For the past two weeks we have heard of the Lord’s coming as judge of all at the end of time. The Priest wears penitential purple during this season to help us realize our part in turning from God’s covenant and participating in acts of darkness (sin), although pink or rose may be worn on this “Gaudete” Sunday. There are images of light and darkness interwoven throughout the season’s readings. The feeling of penitence comes as we force ourselves to compare our dreams, our great expectations, with reality. What keeps us from fulfillment in this moment? What hinders us from seeking the freedom that God offers us? Our fear of the unknown and our anxiety about taking risks often keeps us enslaved in our old ways and prevents us from reaching out for new ones. Our greed and possessiveness keep us from letting go of what we have so that we can seek the next step in life. God will free us from our enslavement to fear, injustice, poverty, negation, and disease if we simply let go and let Him guide us.
Gaudete Sunday, in the pre-counciliar delineation of the liturgical year, was regarded as a day of particular joy with Advent half over and Christmas soon to follow. The term Gaudete refers to the first word of the Introit (Entrance Antiphon) “Rejoice”, taken from Philippians 4:4-5.
1st Reading - Isaiah 61:1-2a, 10-11
Our first reading today points toward the new day that the Lord promises His faithful people. Isaiah points to the joy he feels because he has been commissioned by God to announce the wonderful rewards which await the faithful.
61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good tidings to the afflicted;
We normally think of kings and priests being anointed. Here, the term is linked with preaching and hearing; it designates an interior enlightening to know God’s word, and a strengthening to follow it.
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
The word translated as “liberty” can also be translated as “light.”
2a to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor,
See Leviticus 25:10-13. In the year of favor, the jubilee year, the land reverts to the Creator, who distributes it equally and bountifully. The land was to lie fallow, property which had been seized, borrowed, or rented was to be returned to its rightful owners. Slaves were freed and debts were either remitted or suspended.
and the day of vengeance of our God;
God repairs the injured force of messianic salvation.
10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Jerusalem celebrates the fulfillment of love between herself and Yahweh. Throughout the Bible the relationship between the Chosen People and Yahweh is described in marital terms; sometimes in blissful terms but many times in adulterous terms. Our covenant relationship with God is also described in marital terms; the marriage feast of the Lamb in Revelation 19 for example.
11 For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.
Justice springs from the earth, but the Lord God remains the source of all life.
2nd Reading - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
As we look forward to Christ’s arrival, both at Christmas and at the parousia, we listen to Saint Paul’s advice on how we are to wait for this arrival.
16 Rejoice always.
Joy is a fruit of the Spirit.
17 Pray without ceasing.
Prayer proceeds from the Spirit.
18 In all circumstances give thanks,
Thanksgiving and prayer are closely associated.
for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
God’s plan for our sanctification and happiness is realized only through Christ.
19 Do not quench the Spirit.
True manifestations of God’s spirit must not be suppressed in the Church.
“We can thus see why Paul, not wanting the grace of the Spirit given to us to grow cold, exhorts us, ‘Do not quench the Spirit.’ The only way we can continue to be partakers of Christ is to cling until the end to the Holy Spirit, who was given to us at the beginning (see Matthew 10:22; Hebrews 3:5). Paul said ‘Do not quench’ not because the Spirit is under the power of men but because evil and unthankful men certainly do wish to quench the Spirit. Demonstrating their impurity, they drive the Spirit away by their unholy deeds.” [Saint
Athanasius (ca. A.D. 367), Festial Letters 4,4]
20 Do not despise prophetic utterances.
The inspired words of consolation and admonition spoken by members of the community in special contact with God; this is a transitory charism, not a special class of Christians (see 1 Corinthians 14:31).
21 Test everything; retain what is good.
The “distinguishing of spirits” is a necessary charism to deal with the inevitable risk of false spirits. All extraordinary manifestations of the spirit are to be tested.
22 Refrain from every kind of evil. 23 May the God of peace himself
God is the source of full eschatological salvation. Sanctification is not only the will of God, it is also His work.
make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body,
The whole human person. In Jewish anthropology, “spirit” essentially identifies the person as a creature; “soul” identifies the person as a vital being; and “body” identifies the person as a corporal and social being.
be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
“In the wicked sin reigns over the soul, being settled as on its own throne in the mortal body, so that the soul obeys its lusts... but in the case of those who have become perfected, the spirit has gained the mastery and put to death the deeds of the body. It imparts to the body of its own life and there arises a concord of the two, body and spirit, on the earth. ...
But still more blessed is it if the three [i.e., spirit, soul and body] be gathered together in the name of Jesus, that this may be fulfilled, ‘May God sanctify you wholly, and may your spirit and the soul and body be preserved entire without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.’” [Origen (after A.D. 244), Commentaries on Matthew 14,3]
24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will also accomplish it.
This is an affirmation of God’s fidelity; a fidelity which was implied in the term “God of peace” (verse 23).
Gospel - John 1:6-8, 19-28
In last week’s gospel reading we heard of John the Baptist. We hear of him again this week. To better grasp the context of our reading today, we will begin reading from the first words of the Gospel of John and continue through today’s reading.
1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be 4 through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; 5 the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 A man named John was sent from God.
The name John means “Yahweh is great.”
7 He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.
In contrast to the opening verses of this gospel where the eternity of the Word is proclaimed, John is introduced not as a messianic figure, but as a witness – a witness testifying to the temporality of creation. He is mentioned because, like the prophets of old and Jesus Himself, he was sent by God. Witness is one of the sacred writer’s (Saint John’s) fundamental ideas. Faith, and its converse, unbelief because of the influence of darkness, are the theme of the first half of this gospel.
8 He was not the light, but came to testify to the light.
Saint John is careful to point out here, and also elsewhere in our reading today, that John the Baptist is a witness to the light and not the light itself. This is because his position had been misinterpreted by some (see Acts 19:1-7).
19 And this is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem
“Jews” is a term which John later applies to the leaders of the community who persecute Jesus.
sent priests and Levites
Those empowered under the Law to make religious decisions. The combination “priests and Levites” occurs only here in the New Testament.
(to him) to ask him, “Who are you?”
This is the question asked of Jesus in John 8:25 and 21:12 – Jesus answers “I am” while John answers twice “I am not.”
20 he admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, “I am not the Messiah.”
This is the most important element in John the Baptist’s answer. The messiah first appears as a future anointed agent of God in Daniel 9:25.
21 So they asked him, “What are you then? Are you Elijah?”
Expectation of Elijah’s return was based on Malachi 3:1 and 4:5 (Malachi 3:1 and 3:23 in the New American and New Jerusalem translations), the messenger sent to prepare the Day of the Lord.
And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?”
Refers to Deuteronomy 18:18, the only prophet promised in the Torah
He answered, “No.” 22 So they said to him, “Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?”
Having exhausted the obvious threats to their authority, they now demand that John identify himself; and by doing so, his mission).
23 He said: “I am ‘the voice of one crying out in the desert, “Make straight the way of the Lord,”‘ as Isaiah the prophet said.”
In reply to the demand, John refuses to identify himself with any person at all; he is merely the “voice” of Isaiah 40:3 heralding the good news of salvation.
24 Some Pharisees were also sent.
This may be another delegation doing the questioning now as the first group had been sent by the priests and Levites. The priests and Levites were not ordinarily Pharisees – it is also interesting that Pharisees had no authority to send a delegation.
25 They asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet?”
It would have been the Pharisees, watchmen as they were over traditional Jewish law and practice, who would have been particularly interested in and concerned with the baptism of John. Baptismal rites of various kinds were then in practice: the Jews baptized proselytes (new converts) and the Essenes baptized initiates into their community. The question is: What was the significance of John’s baptism of Jesus if He had disassociated Himself from the forerunners of the end times?
26 John answered them, “I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize,
John the Baptist justifies his baptism in water as a preparation for the Messiah, who is already in Israel’s midst but who has not yet been revealed.
27 the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”
Unfastening a sandal strap was the job of a slave – the one to come is so great that John doesn’t feel good enough to be His slave.
28 This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
It is called “Bethany across the Jordan” to distinguish it from the Bethany near Jerusalem. The exact place is unknown today, but the name means the “best place of crossing over.”
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
Introduction
For the past two weeks we have heard of the Lord’s coming as judge of all at the end of time. The Priest wears penitential purple during this season to help us realize our part in turning from God’s covenant and participating in acts of darkness (sin), although pink or rose may be worn on this “Gaudete” Sunday. There are images of light and darkness interwoven throughout the season’s readings. The feeling of penitence comes as we force ourselves to compare our dreams, our great expectations, with reality. What keeps us from fulfillment in this moment? What hinders us from seeking the freedom that God offers us? Our fear of the unknown and our anxiety about taking risks often keeps us enslaved in our old ways and prevents us from reaching out for new ones. Our greed and possessiveness keep us from letting go of what we have so that we can seek the next step in life. God will free us from our enslavement to fear, injustice, poverty, negation, and disease if we simply let go and let Him guide us.
Gaudete Sunday, in the pre-counciliar delineation of the liturgical year, was regarded as a day of particular joy with Advent half over and Christmas soon to follow. The term Gaudete refers to the first word of the Introit (Entrance Antiphon) “Rejoice”, taken from Philippians 4:4-5.
1st Reading - Isaiah 61:1-2a, 10-11
Our first reading today points toward the new day that the Lord promises His faithful people. Isaiah points to the joy he feels because he has been commissioned by God to announce the wonderful rewards which await the faithful.
61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good tidings to the afflicted;
We normally think of kings and priests being anointed. Here, the term is linked with preaching and hearing; it designates an interior enlightening to know God’s word, and a strengthening to follow it.
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
The word translated as “liberty” can also be translated as “light.”
2a to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor,
See Leviticus 25:10-13. In the year of favor, the jubilee year, the land reverts to the Creator, who distributes it equally and bountifully. The land was to lie fallow, property which had been seized, borrowed, or rented was to be returned to its rightful owners. Slaves were freed and debts were either remitted or suspended.
and the day of vengeance of our God;
God repairs the injured force of messianic salvation.
10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Jerusalem celebrates the fulfillment of love between herself and Yahweh. Throughout the Bible the relationship between the Chosen People and Yahweh is described in marital terms; sometimes in blissful terms but many times in adulterous terms. Our covenant relationship with God is also described in marital terms; the marriage feast of the Lamb in Revelation 19 for example.
11 For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.
Justice springs from the earth, but the Lord God remains the source of all life.
2nd Reading - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
As we look forward to Christ’s arrival, both at Christmas and at the parousia, we listen to Saint Paul’s advice on how we are to wait for this arrival.
16 Rejoice always.
Joy is a fruit of the Spirit.
17 Pray without ceasing.
Prayer proceeds from the Spirit.
18 In all circumstances give thanks,
Thanksgiving and prayer are closely associated.
for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
God’s plan for our sanctification and happiness is realized only through Christ.
19 Do not quench the Spirit.
True manifestations of God’s spirit must not be suppressed in the Church.
“We can thus see why Paul, not wanting the grace of the Spirit given to us to grow cold, exhorts us, ‘Do not quench the Spirit.’ The only way we can continue to be partakers of Christ is to cling until the end to the Holy Spirit, who was given to us at the beginning (see Matthew 10:22; Hebrews 3:5). Paul said ‘Do not quench’ not because the Spirit is under the power of men but because evil and unthankful men certainly do wish to quench the Spirit. Demonstrating their impurity, they drive the Spirit away by their unholy deeds.” [Saint
Athanasius (ca. A.D. 367), Festial Letters 4,4]
20 Do not despise prophetic utterances.
The inspired words of consolation and admonition spoken by members of the community in special contact with God; this is a transitory charism, not a special class of Christians (see 1 Corinthians 14:31).
21 Test everything; retain what is good.
The “distinguishing of spirits” is a necessary charism to deal with the inevitable risk of false spirits. All extraordinary manifestations of the spirit are to be tested.
22 Refrain from every kind of evil. 23 May the God of peace himself
God is the source of full eschatological salvation. Sanctification is not only the will of God, it is also His work.
make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body,
The whole human person. In Jewish anthropology, “spirit” essentially identifies the person as a creature; “soul” identifies the person as a vital being; and “body” identifies the person as a corporal and social being.
be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
“In the wicked sin reigns over the soul, being settled as on its own throne in the mortal body, so that the soul obeys its lusts... but in the case of those who have become perfected, the spirit has gained the mastery and put to death the deeds of the body. It imparts to the body of its own life and there arises a concord of the two, body and spirit, on the earth. ...
But still more blessed is it if the three [i.e., spirit, soul and body] be gathered together in the name of Jesus, that this may be fulfilled, ‘May God sanctify you wholly, and may your spirit and the soul and body be preserved entire without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.’” [Origen (after A.D. 244), Commentaries on Matthew 14,3]
24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will also accomplish it.
This is an affirmation of God’s fidelity; a fidelity which was implied in the term “God of peace” (verse 23).
Gospel - John 1:6-8, 19-28
In last week’s gospel reading we heard of John the Baptist. We hear of him again this week. To better grasp the context of our reading today, we will begin reading from the first words of the Gospel of John and continue through today’s reading.
1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be 4 through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; 5 the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 A man named John was sent from God.
The name John means “Yahweh is great.”
7 He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.
In contrast to the opening verses of this gospel where the eternity of the Word is proclaimed, John is introduced not as a messianic figure, but as a witness – a witness testifying to the temporality of creation. He is mentioned because, like the prophets of old and Jesus Himself, he was sent by God. Witness is one of the sacred writer’s (Saint John’s) fundamental ideas. Faith, and its converse, unbelief because of the influence of darkness, are the theme of the first half of this gospel.
8 He was not the light, but came to testify to the light.
Saint John is careful to point out here, and also elsewhere in our reading today, that John the Baptist is a witness to the light and not the light itself. This is because his position had been misinterpreted by some (see Acts 19:1-7).
19 And this is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem
“Jews” is a term which John later applies to the leaders of the community who persecute Jesus.
sent priests and Levites
Those empowered under the Law to make religious decisions. The combination “priests and Levites” occurs only here in the New Testament.
(to him) to ask him, “Who are you?”
This is the question asked of Jesus in John 8:25 and 21:12 – Jesus answers “I am” while John answers twice “I am not.”
20 he admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, “I am not the Messiah.”
This is the most important element in John the Baptist’s answer. The messiah first appears as a future anointed agent of God in Daniel 9:25.
21 So they asked him, “What are you then? Are you Elijah?”
Expectation of Elijah’s return was based on Malachi 3:1 and 4:5 (Malachi 3:1 and 3:23 in the New American and New Jerusalem translations), the messenger sent to prepare the Day of the Lord.
And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?”
Refers to Deuteronomy 18:18, the only prophet promised in the Torah
He answered, “No.” 22 So they said to him, “Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?”
Having exhausted the obvious threats to their authority, they now demand that John identify himself; and by doing so, his mission).
23 He said: “I am ‘the voice of one crying out in the desert, “Make straight the way of the Lord,”‘ as Isaiah the prophet said.”
In reply to the demand, John refuses to identify himself with any person at all; he is merely the “voice” of Isaiah 40:3 heralding the good news of salvation.
24 Some Pharisees were also sent.
This may be another delegation doing the questioning now as the first group had been sent by the priests and Levites. The priests and Levites were not ordinarily Pharisees – it is also interesting that Pharisees had no authority to send a delegation.
25 They asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet?”
It would have been the Pharisees, watchmen as they were over traditional Jewish law and practice, who would have been particularly interested in and concerned with the baptism of John. Baptismal rites of various kinds were then in practice: the Jews baptized proselytes (new converts) and the Essenes baptized initiates into their community. The question is: What was the significance of John’s baptism of Jesus if He had disassociated Himself from the forerunners of the end times?
26 John answered them, “I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize,
John the Baptist justifies his baptism in water as a preparation for the Messiah, who is already in Israel’s midst but who has not yet been revealed.
27 the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”
Unfastening a sandal strap was the job of a slave – the one to come is so great that John doesn’t feel good enough to be His slave.
28 This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
It is called “Bethany across the Jordan” to distinguish it from the Bethany near Jerusalem. The exact place is unknown today, but the name means the “best place of crossing over.”
St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church,
Picayune, MS http://www.scborromeo.org
THIRD SUNDAY
IN ORDINARY TIME
SUNDAY, JANUARY 21, MARK 1:14-20
(Jonah 3:1-5, 10; Psalm 25; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31)
SUNDAY, JANUARY 21, MARK 1:14-20
(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 is 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: What is the most difficult thing for me to sacrifice in order to follow Jesus?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to hear and obey your call.
Sunday 21
January 2018
Week III Psalter. 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Jonah 3:1-5, 10. Psalm 24(25):4-9. 1 Corinthians 7:29-31. Mark
1:14-20.
Teach me your ways, O Lord—Psalm 24(25):4-9.
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. 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?
We pray for a real commitment to God, and to let Jesus rule our
life. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Saint Agnes
Saint of the Day for January 21
(d. c. 258)
Saint Agnes’ Story
Almost nothing is known of this saint except that she was very
young—12 or 13—when she was martyred in the last half of the third century.
Various modes of death have been suggested—beheading, burning, strangling.
Legend has it that Agnes was a beautiful girl whom many young
men wanted to marry. Among those she refused, one reported her to the authorities
for being a Christian. She was arrested and confined to a house of
prostitution. The legend continues that a man who looked upon her lustfully
lost his sight and had it restored by her prayer. Agnes was condemned,
executed, and buried near Rome in a catacomb that eventually was named after
her. The daughter of Constantine built a basilica in her honor.
Reflection
Like that of Maria Goretti in the 20th century, the martyrdom of
a virginal young girl made a deep impression on a society enslaved to a
materialistic outlook. Also like Agatha, who died in similar circumstances,
Agnes is a symbol that holiness does not depend on length of years, experience,
or human effort. It is a gift God offers to all.
Saint Agnes is the Patron Saint of:
Girls
Girl Scouts
Girl Scouts
LECTIO DIVINA: 3RD SUNDAY OF
ORDINARY TIME (B)
Lectio Divina:
Sunday, January 21, 2018
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,
direct 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,
direct 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
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.
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.
This is a literary genre of vocation
stories where the condition of life of the person addressed by God is first
described, then the call is expressed in symbolic words or actions, and finally
comes 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, which is the missionary
practice of the disciples who will be sent in pairs (Mk 6:7). The dynamic of
this is in line with the original plan of 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
proclaims the Gospel, "the Good News" of God’s initiative towards His
people, and the establishment of the Realm. The Apostles’ preaching will go
from Galilee to the ends of the earth and will proclaim 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. It is the present that demands from human
beings their collaboration by repenting. The coming of the reign points to this
place of freedom where whoever listens to the proclamation can come to Christ
or turn from it by refusing the good news. A Realm that is close to all and
present to all who desire it. Conversion, faith, and following are three
aspects of the same thing, which is the call to all to follow Jesus and the
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 for the first phase of Jesus’ ministry: a lake that is
surrounded by mountains, 208 meters above sea level, 21 km long and 11 km wide.
This body of water, in the shape of a cither, was a source of life because of
the abundance of fish in it. On the shore of this lake Jesus chooses a life
different from the daily life seen on these shores made up of fishermen, boats,
nets and fish. Simon and Andrew are 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.
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. This act of following does not come from a mere personal
decision, but from a meeting with the Person of Jesus who calls. It is an
action of grace which allows these disciples to respond to His call. Jesus
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. 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 farther, 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 first 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 object 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, opens up new horizons. One does not embark on this
venture alone. Bonds are not broken. The brothers become more so. They still
share the bitter experience of earning a living, but now they arenot 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, saying
“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, to 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 honor 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 honor 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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