Sunday Reflections: Second Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle B

Second Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle B

Sunday, January 17, 2021

1 Samuel 3:3b–10,19; Psalm 40:2, 4, 7–8, 8–9, 10; 1 Corinthians 6:13c–15a,17–20; John 1:35–42

image courtesy: Mangalore diocese

The Indian sage Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, in his wisdom teaching narrates a beautiful story of vocation.  The story is about a young man who wanted to leave the world to become a sanyasi or a mendicant. His sister was getting worried about him and she told her husband that she was worried about her brother who had been planning to leave the world for the past three months. He had been sacrificing daily some food items, some of his comforts at home and giving up his rich and delicate clothes and so on.  He husband looked at her and smiled and told her, “My dear, you need not be worried about your brother. The people who plan in this way to leave the world in this way by sacrificing little by little will not leave at all. You can rest assured that he will be with you for a long time to come.”  The wife was surprised at her husband’s words and asked him, how one leaves the world to devote himself or herself to God.  The husband looked at her and said to her: “My dear if you truly want to know how a person leaves the world and becomes sanyasi, I will tell you.”  He then got up; tore his flowing garments and wore a loin cloth; took a begging bowl in his hand and a walking stick. After this he bowed to his wife and said, from now on you and every woman to me is like a mother. He left the house never to return.

Every day during the Mass we use the title of Jesus —the Lamb of God. This title recalled key themes from the Old Testament. It alludes to the paschal lamb offered as a sacrifice when God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, the event that is commemorated by the Jewish Passover celebration. The designation also recalls the prophet Isaiah’s description of the suffering servant of Israel. In using this name for Jesus, John the Baptist predicts Jesus’ passion and death and the new interpretation of Passover that will begin with Jesus’ Last Supper.

We learn in today’s reading how Jesus’ first followers were gathered. The first two, Andrew and another man, were followers of John the Baptist. After hearing John’s testimony, they became followers of Jesus. Andrew then brings his brother, Simon, to Jesus. Immediately, Jesus gave Simon a new name, calling him Peter, which means “rock” in Greek. The renaming of Simon to Peter is reported in all four of the Gospels.

God’s call is personal and he invites every individual to build a close relationship with him.  His call is unique as he calls individuals as well as nations to be united with him. The Bible constantly narrates the instances of God calling people and demanding a response from him. The call from God to holiness is constant in our lives and it requires a response from us. In today's First Reading we heard God calling young Samuel. In today's Second Reading Paul tells the Corinthians community that our bodies are meant to serve the Lord. They are not meant to be used for worldly desires and pleasures that do not glorify God.

God’s call is a gift and this call is given to each and every person demands a response and readiness to work for him. He has called people to be missionaries, preachers, teachers, ordinary office workers, builders of families, social workers, medical practitioners, nurses, persons who could be his instruments of reconciliation, to work as priests and religious.

Let us accept then the Lord's call and let us be joyful witnesses of His Word in our Christian life. 

(You are most welcome to add your comments and reflections below) 

Happy Sunday