Monday of the First Week in Ordinary
Time
Lectionary: 305
Lectionary: 305
There was a certain man from
Ramathaim, Elkanah by name,
a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim.
He was the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu,
son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
He had two wives, one named Hannah, the other Peninnah;
Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless.
This man regularly went on pilgrimage from his city
to worship the LORD of hosts and to sacrifice to him at Shiloh,
where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas,
were ministering as priests of the LORD.
When the day came for Elkanah to offer sacrifice,
he used to give a portion each to his wife Peninnah
and to all her sons and daughters,
but a double portion to Hannah because he loved her,
though the LORD had made her barren.
Her rival, to upset her, turned it into a constant reproach to her
that the LORD had left her barren.
This went on year after year;
each time they made their pilgrimage to the sanctuary of the LORD,
Peninnah would approach her,
and Hannah would weep and refuse to eat.
Her husband Elkanah used to ask her:
“Hannah, why do you weep, and why do you refuse to eat?
Why do you grieve?
Am I not more to you than ten sons?”
a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim.
He was the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu,
son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
He had two wives, one named Hannah, the other Peninnah;
Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless.
This man regularly went on pilgrimage from his city
to worship the LORD of hosts and to sacrifice to him at Shiloh,
where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas,
were ministering as priests of the LORD.
When the day came for Elkanah to offer sacrifice,
he used to give a portion each to his wife Peninnah
and to all her sons and daughters,
but a double portion to Hannah because he loved her,
though the LORD had made her barren.
Her rival, to upset her, turned it into a constant reproach to her
that the LORD had left her barren.
This went on year after year;
each time they made their pilgrimage to the sanctuary of the LORD,
Peninnah would approach her,
and Hannah would weep and refuse to eat.
Her husband Elkanah used to ask her:
“Hannah, why do you weep, and why do you refuse to eat?
Why do you grieve?
Am I not more to you than ten sons?”
ResponsorialPSALM 116:12-13, 14-17,
18-19
R. (17a) To you, Lord, I will
offer a sacrifice of praise.
or:
R. Alleluia.
How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
or:
R. Alleluia.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the eyes of the LORD
is the death of his faithful ones.
O LORD, I am your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
you have loosed my bonds.
R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
or:
R. Alleluia.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people,
In the courts of the house of the LORD,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
or:
R. Alleluia.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the eyes of the LORD
is the death of his faithful ones.
O LORD, I am your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
you have loosed my bonds.
R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
or:
R. Alleluia.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people,
In the courts of the house of the LORD,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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.”
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 left 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.
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 left 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.
For the
readings of the Optional Memorial of Saint Hilary, please go here.
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)
ORDINARY TIME
The rhythm of Ordinary Time reflects the rhythm of life — with its celebrations and its seasons of quiet growth and maturing. Ordinary Time, meaning ordered or numbered time, is celebrated in two segments: from the Monday following the Baptism of Our Lord up to Ash Wednesday; and from Pentecost Monday to the First Sunday of Advent. This makes it the longest season of the Liturgical Year. Vestments are usually green, the color of hope and growth. The Church counts the thirty-three or thirty-four Sundays of Ordinary Time, inviting us to meditate upon the whole mystery of Christ – his life, miracles and teachings – in the light of his passion, death and resurrection, the extraordinary days of our lives in Christ.
The rhythm of Ordinary Time reflects the rhythm of life — with its celebrations and its seasons of quiet growth and maturing. Ordinary Time, meaning ordered or numbered time, is celebrated in two segments: from the Monday following the Baptism of Our Lord up to Ash Wednesday; and from Pentecost Monday to the First Sunday of Advent. This makes it the longest season of the Liturgical Year. Vestments are usually green, the color of hope and growth. The Church counts the thirty-three or thirty-four Sundays of Ordinary Time, inviting us to meditate upon the whole mystery of Christ – his life, miracles and teachings – in the light of his passion, death and resurrection, the extraordinary days of our lives in Christ.
MONDAY, JANUARY 13, MARK 1:14-21
First Week in Ordinary Time
(1 Samuel 1:1-8; Psalm 116)
KEY VERSE: "The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel" (v 15).
TO KNOW: With John's arrest, Jesus continued the Baptist's proclamation to 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. The response to this good news was a change of heart (Greek: metanoia, "conversion"). Jesus invited the first disciples to be fully dedicated to his mission; there would be no half-measures in serving the Lord. Simon and his brother Andrew immediately abandoned both family and livelihood to follow Jesus. Another pair of brothers, James and John, were partners with Simon (Lk 5:10), and they too responded without delay. Jesus promised his disciples that they would be his instruments to spread the gospel throughout the world. Later, Peter would tell Jesus that they had put aside everything to follow him. Jesus replied that anyone who gave up family and possessions for him would receive a hundred times more, and in the age to come, life everlasting as well (Mk 10:28-30).
TO LOVE: How does my response to serve the Lord compare with the disciples' willingness?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to change my life to conform to your call to discipleship.
First Week in Ordinary Time
(1 Samuel 1:1-8; Psalm 116)
KEY VERSE: "The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel" (v 15).
TO KNOW: With John's arrest, Jesus continued the Baptist's proclamation to 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. The response to this good news was a change of heart (Greek: metanoia, "conversion"). Jesus invited the first disciples to be fully dedicated to his mission; there would be no half-measures in serving the Lord. Simon and his brother Andrew immediately abandoned both family and livelihood to follow Jesus. Another pair of brothers, James and John, were partners with Simon (Lk 5:10), and they too responded without delay. Jesus promised his disciples that they would be his instruments to spread the gospel throughout the world. Later, Peter would tell Jesus that they had put aside everything to follow him. Jesus replied that anyone who gave up family and possessions for him would receive a hundred times more, and in the age to come, life everlasting as well (Mk 10:28-30).
TO LOVE: How does my response to serve the Lord compare with the disciples' willingness?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to change my life to conform to your call to discipleship.
Optional Memorial of Saint Hilary, bishop and doctor of the
Church
Hilary's early life was uneventful. He married and had children (including Saint Abra). As Hilary studied the Bible for the first time, he literally read himself into the faith, and was converted by the time he finished the New Testament. Hilary lived the faith so well that he was made bishop of Poitiers from 353 to 368. Hilary opposed the emperor's attempt to run Church matters, and he was exiled. He used the time to write works explaining the faith. His teaching and writings converted many, and in an attempt to reduce his notoriety he was returned to the small town of Poitiers where his enemies hoped he would fade into obscurity. His writings continued to convert unbelievers. Hilary introduced Eastern theology to the Western Church, and fought Arianism with the help of Saint Viventius. He was proclaimed Doctor of the Church in 1851.
Monday 13 January 2020
St Hilary
1 Samuel 1:1-8. Psalm 115(116):12-19. Mark 1:14-20.
To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise – Psalm 115(116):12-19
‘I will make you fishers of men.’
1 Samuel 1:1-8. Psalm 115(116):12-19. Mark 1:14-20.
To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise – Psalm 115(116):12-19
‘I will make you fishers of men.’
What a presence Jesus must have had that he could inspire people
to take such a leap into the unknown. Imagine Simon and Andrew casting a net
into the lake. See them as they fish, idly chatting and perhaps teasing each in
that way that siblings have. Then Jesus walks by and says ‘follow me’, so they
do. They abandon their tasks to take up a new life. Jesus walks on and then it
is the turn of the sons of Zebedee to leave their father mid-task and follow.
What did these new disciples see in him? What was it about his call that they
changed their lives so dramatically? As we contemplate the decisions we need to
make in our lives, let us pray for the courage and wisdom to discern Jesus’
call to us. Let us not be afraid of making sweeping changes and taking up a new
life.
Saint Hilary of Poitiers
Saint of the Day for January 13
(c. 315 – c. 368)
 |
| Statue of Saint Hilary of Poitiers | en l’Église Saint-Hilaire de Givet | photo by G.Garitan |
Saint Hilary of Poitiers’ Story
This staunch defender of the divinity of Christ was a gentle and
courteous man, devoted to writing some of the greatest theology on the Trinity,
and was like his Master in being labeled a “disturber of the peace.” In a very
troubled period in the Church, his holiness was lived out in both scholarship
and controversy. He was bishop of Poitiers in France.
Raised a pagan, he was converted to Christianity when he met his
God of nature in the Scriptures. His wife was still living when he was chosen,
against his will, to be the bishop of Poitiers in France. He was soon taken up
with battling what became the scourge of the fourth century, Arianism, which
denied the divinity of Christ.
The heresy spread rapidly. Saint Jerome said “The world groaned
and marveled to find that it was Arian.” When Emperor Constantius ordered all
the bishops of the West to sign a condemnation of Athanasius, the great
defender of the faith in the East, Hilary refused and was banished from France
to far off Phrygia. Eventually he was called the “Athanasius of the West.”
While writing in exile, he was invited by some semi-Arians
(hoping for reconciliation) to a council the emperor called to counteract the
Council of Nicea. But Hilary predictably defended the Church, and when he
sought public debate with the heretical bishop who had exiled him, the Arians,
dreading the meeting and its outcome, pleaded with the emperor to send this
troublemaker back home. Hilary was welcomed by his people.
Reflection
Christ said his coming would bring not peace but a sword (see
Matthew 10:34). The Gospels offer no support for us if we fantasize about a
sunlit holiness that knows no problems. Christ did not escape
at the last moment, though he did live happily ever after—after a life of
controversy, problems, pain and frustration. Hilary, like all saints, simply
had more of the same.
Lectio Divina: Mark 1:14-20
Lectio Divina
Monday, January 13, 2020
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Father of love, hear our prayers.
Help us to know Your will
and to do it with courage and faith.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Help us to know Your will
and to do it with courage and faith.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading - 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 left 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) Reflection
• After John had been arrested, Jesus went to Galilee. There He
proclaimed the Gospel of God. John was arrested by King Herod for having
denounced the immoral behavior of the King (Lk 3:18-20). The imprisonment of
John the Baptist did not frighten Jesus! On the contrary, in that event He saw
a symbol of the coming of the Kingdom. Today, would we know how to read
the facts of politics and of urban violence to announce or proclaim the Good
News of God?
• Jesus proclaimed the Good News of God. The Good News is of God not only because it comes from God, but also and, above all, because God is its content. God Himself is the greatest Good News for human life. He responds to the deepest aspiration of our heart. In Jesus, we see what happens when a human person allows God to enter and to reign. This Good News of the Kingdom of God proclaimed by Jesus has four different aspects:
a) The time is fulfilled and has arrived. For the other Jews the time was not as yet fulfilled, had not arrived. There was still much missing for the coming of the Kingdom. For the Pharisees, for example, the Kingdom could be attained only when the observance of the law would be perfect. Jesus had another way of reading the facts. He says that the time is fulfilled; it has arrived.
b) The Kingdom of God is close at hand! For the Pharisees the coming of the Kingdom depended on their efforts. It would have arrived only after they had observed the law. Jesus says the contrary: “The Kingdom is close at hand.” It is already here! When Jesus says, “The Kingdom is close at hand”, He does not mean to say that the Kingdom has been reached only at that moment, but rather that it was already there. What everybody was expecting was already present in their life, but they did not know it. They did not perceive it (cf. Lk 17:21). Jesus saw it! He saw and read reality from a different perspective. It is in this hidden presence of the Kingdom in the midst of the people that Jesus reveals Himself to the poor of His land. And this is the seed of the Kingdom which will receive the rain of His Word and the warmth of His love.
c) Convert yourselves! The exact meaning is “change your way of thinking and of living.” In order to be able to perceive the presence of the Kingdom in life, a person should begin to think and live in a different way. The person should change his or her way of life and find another way of living together with others! He/she should leave aside all of the legalism of the teaching of the Pharisees and allow the new experience of God to invade his/her life and give him/her a new way of looking so as to read and understand the facts in a new way.
d) To believe in the Good News! It was not easy to accept this message. It is not easy for us to begin to think in a different way from all that we have learned since we were small children. This is possible only through an act of faith. When someone gives a different piece of news, it is difficult to accept it, and it is accepted only if we trust the person who delivers the news. And thus, you will say to others, “You can accept! I know this person! This person does not deceive! You can trust him/her!” We can trust Jesus!
• The first objective of the proclamation of the Good News is to form a community. Jesus goes by; He sees and He calls. The first four who were called - Simon, Andrew, John and James - listen, abandon everything, and follow Jesus in order to form a community with Him. It seems to be love at first sight! According to Mark’s account, everything takes place in the first encounter with Jesus. Comparing with the other Gospels, people perceive that the four already knew Jesus (Jn 1:39; Lk 5:1-11). They had already had the opportunity to live with Him, to see Him help the people and to listen to Him in the synagogue. They knew how He lived and what He thought. The call was not something from one moment, but a progression of repeated calls and invitations, of progressing and retreating. The call begins and begins again always anew! In practice, it coincided with living together with Jesus for two or three years, since the time of the Baptism until the moment when Jesus ascended to Heaven (Acts 1:21-22). And then, why does Mark present this as something sudden, an act of love at first sight? Mark thinks of the ideal: the encounter with Jesus should bring about a radical change in our life!
• Jesus proclaimed the Good News of God. The Good News is of God not only because it comes from God, but also and, above all, because God is its content. God Himself is the greatest Good News for human life. He responds to the deepest aspiration of our heart. In Jesus, we see what happens when a human person allows God to enter and to reign. This Good News of the Kingdom of God proclaimed by Jesus has four different aspects:
a) The time is fulfilled and has arrived. For the other Jews the time was not as yet fulfilled, had not arrived. There was still much missing for the coming of the Kingdom. For the Pharisees, for example, the Kingdom could be attained only when the observance of the law would be perfect. Jesus had another way of reading the facts. He says that the time is fulfilled; it has arrived.
b) The Kingdom of God is close at hand! For the Pharisees the coming of the Kingdom depended on their efforts. It would have arrived only after they had observed the law. Jesus says the contrary: “The Kingdom is close at hand.” It is already here! When Jesus says, “The Kingdom is close at hand”, He does not mean to say that the Kingdom has been reached only at that moment, but rather that it was already there. What everybody was expecting was already present in their life, but they did not know it. They did not perceive it (cf. Lk 17:21). Jesus saw it! He saw and read reality from a different perspective. It is in this hidden presence of the Kingdom in the midst of the people that Jesus reveals Himself to the poor of His land. And this is the seed of the Kingdom which will receive the rain of His Word and the warmth of His love.
c) Convert yourselves! The exact meaning is “change your way of thinking and of living.” In order to be able to perceive the presence of the Kingdom in life, a person should begin to think and live in a different way. The person should change his or her way of life and find another way of living together with others! He/she should leave aside all of the legalism of the teaching of the Pharisees and allow the new experience of God to invade his/her life and give him/her a new way of looking so as to read and understand the facts in a new way.
d) To believe in the Good News! It was not easy to accept this message. It is not easy for us to begin to think in a different way from all that we have learned since we were small children. This is possible only through an act of faith. When someone gives a different piece of news, it is difficult to accept it, and it is accepted only if we trust the person who delivers the news. And thus, you will say to others, “You can accept! I know this person! This person does not deceive! You can trust him/her!” We can trust Jesus!
• The first objective of the proclamation of the Good News is to form a community. Jesus goes by; He sees and He calls. The first four who were called - Simon, Andrew, John and James - listen, abandon everything, and follow Jesus in order to form a community with Him. It seems to be love at first sight! According to Mark’s account, everything takes place in the first encounter with Jesus. Comparing with the other Gospels, people perceive that the four already knew Jesus (Jn 1:39; Lk 5:1-11). They had already had the opportunity to live with Him, to see Him help the people and to listen to Him in the synagogue. They knew how He lived and what He thought. The call was not something from one moment, but a progression of repeated calls and invitations, of progressing and retreating. The call begins and begins again always anew! In practice, it coincided with living together with Jesus for two or three years, since the time of the Baptism until the moment when Jesus ascended to Heaven (Acts 1:21-22). And then, why does Mark present this as something sudden, an act of love at first sight? Mark thinks of the ideal: the encounter with Jesus should bring about a radical change in our life!
4) Personal questions
• A political fact, the imprisonment of John, led Jesus to begin
the proclamation of the Good News of God. Today, does the political
situation exercise any influence in the proclamation of the Good News that we
present to people today?
• “Repent! Believe in the Good News!” How is this taking place in my own life?
• “Repent! Believe in the Good News!” How is this taking place in my own life?
5) Concluding prayer
For You are Yahweh,
Most High over all the earth,
far transcending all gods. (Ps 97:9)
Most High over all the earth,
far transcending all gods. (Ps 97:9)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét