Third Sunday of the Year January 21, 2024
Jonah 3:1-5, 10; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31; Mark 1:14-20
Today’s gospel stresses Jesus’ call to repentance, it is the
same call that Jonah preached to the people of his time and yet it is
different. While Jonah threatened them of the impending disaster, Jesus on the
other hand invites everyone to turn away from sin, to enable them to enter the
Kingdom of God. We notice that there are two distinct parts to this invitation:
‘to repent’, that is to break away from sin, which is what the word conversion
means, and the second part: ‘to believe in the good news’, namely to accept
Jesus and follow him. Both go hand in hand and one without the other does not
make sense. If we are to follow Jesus Christ we have to repent and be
converted.
God’s call to follow and serve Him often takes us to places
we would never have dreamt of going. Jonah’s call in the first reading took him
to Nineveh. For the Jew of the 1st century BC, Nineveh represented the seat of
godlessness, immorality and corruption. Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian
empire that had conquered and colonized the kingdom of Judah, looted and
destroyed the Temple, and carried the notables of the people into exile. It was
a big metropolitan city where the social and economic law of the survival of
the fittest reigned supreme. Materialism expressing itself in all forms of
immorality, corruption and crime was the order of the day in Nineveh. For pious
Jews like Jonah, Nineveh was the godforsaken city, the highway to perdition
where evil reigned without any hope of change. For them Nineveh was a hopeless
case, peopled by lost souls without the slightest hope of regaining God’s favour.
No wonder Jonah objected to being sent there. As far as he was concerned the
mission to Nineveh was nothing but an exercise in futility. The big surprise in
the story is that as soon as the “godforsaken” people of Nineveh heard the word
of God, they receive it with eagerness, repent with sincerity, and regain God’s
mercy and forgiveness.
The call to be "fishers of men" is a universal
invitation. Each of us is called to share in the mission of Christ, spreading
the Gospel and bringing others into the Kingdom. It's not reserved for a select
few but extends to every baptized person. We are all called to be witnesses of
God's love, mercy, and redemption.
As we reflect on this Gospel passage, we might ask
ourselves: How am I responding to God's call in my life? Am I actively seeking
opportunities to encounter Him, repent, and believe in the Gospel? Are there
nets—attachments or distractions—that I need to leave behind to more fully embrace
the mission God has for me?
Our response to God's call requires a continual conversion
of heart and a willingness to let go of anything that hinders our relationship
with Him. It's an ongoing process of saying 'yes' to God's will and trusting in
His guidance. As we navigate the challenges of our daily lives, may we find
inspiration in the immediate and wholehearted response of the disciples.
Let us remember that the call to repentance and belief is
not a one-time event but a lifelong journey. Embracing this call, like the
disciples did, transforms us into authentic followers of Christ. Let us pray
for the grace to respond generously to God's invitation, trusting that as we
cast our nets into the sea of His mercy, we, too, will become fishers of men.
Happy Sunday
Sunday of the Word of God
Today we celebrate the Sunday of the Word of God. The Sunday
of the Word of God is observed annually on the third Sunday of Ordinary Time,
ever since Pope Francis established this celebration on 30 September 2019 to
remind Catholics of the importance of knowing Scripture.
Pope Francis’ Apostolic Letter, Motu proprio "Aperuit
illis", published on 30 September, establishes that "the Third Sunday
in Ordinary Time is to be devoted to the celebration, study and dissemination
of the Word of God".
The title of the document, “Aperuit illis”, is equally
important. They are its opening words, taken from St Luke’s Gospel, where the
Evangelist describes how the Risen Jesus appeared to His disciples, and how “He
opened their minds to understand the Scriptures”.
What is the Word of God?
We often identify the Bible as the Word of God. This is not
wrong, but God speaks to our hearts in many different ways. For instance, he
speaks to us in prayer and through our conscience, and often through other
people. Hence, the Word of God covers much more than a printed book.
Nevertheless, the Bible is the privileged collection of communications between
God and his people. These stories and poems have nourished the lives of the
people of Israel and the Christian Church right through the centuries, and they
continue to nourish us today. They tell the story of God’s love and our
salvation from ancient times onwards. The scriptural texts offer us both
challenge and encouragement for our lives, and are especially valuable to us
through the hope they offer us at dark moments.
The Holy Spirit and the Scriptures
The Holy Spirit was at work in the whole process of the
formation of the Scriptures. This is why, even though many people across
different times and places contributed to the writing, we believe that the
Scriptures are divinely inspired. But the Holy Spirit’s work does not come to
an end with the writing of the text. The Holy Spirit, who dwells in us by
virtue of our baptism, is also at work in us as we listen to the text.
Therefore, through the Spirit’s inspiration, the words of Scripture can become
a living Word of the Lord to us here and now.
In Vedanta, we have 3-fold process which leads one to
complete Awakening and Realization. Shravana, Manana and Nididhyasana.
Shravana is listening. Listening to the (Truth) Word of God
is the first step.
Manana is contemplating the (Truth) Word of God is the
second step.
Nididhyasana is living and breathing the (Truth) Word of God
is the third step.
However, we must add one more Anuṣṭhāna – We put into
practice the (Truth) Word of God.
Let us attentively listen to God who whispers in us and put into practice in our day-to-day life.
God Bless
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