3RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR B

BASED ON CATHOLIC LITURGICAL READINGS

THEME: “HOW DO WE RESPOND TO OUR CALL AS CHRISTIANS?”

((Readings: 1^st: Jonah 3:1-5,10; Ps 24; 2^nd 1Cor 7:25-31; Gos Mk 1:14-20))

Last Sunday we highlighted different ways in which God calls us to have a closer relationship with him. Today our mother church wants us to reflect on how we should respond to our call. In the first reading, Jonah after his resistance to the call, finally agrees to go and proclaim the message of God to the Ninevites. “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”. Upon hearing this message, the people believed in God and repented. In the Gospel reading, Jesus tells Simon and his brother Andrew “Come follow me, and I will make you fishers of men”. Similarly, he called James and his brother John who were busy mending their nets to follow him. They all left their nets and IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED HIM.

God´s expectation is that we similarly respond to his call with the following attitude.

IMMEDIATELY. “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled.” Heb 3:15. One thing I have learned about God´s call is that it cannot be resisted. In the story of Jonah, it is vividly narrated what happened when he tried to run away from his call to Nineveh. On his escape trip, he was unfortunately thrown into the sea and swallowed by a whale which vomited him three days later in Nineveh. Prophet Jeremiah was another figure who tried to resist his call: “But if I say I will never mention the LORD or speak any more in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It is like a fire in my bones! and I am weary with holding it, and I cannot” Jer 20:9. God´s call to do something, follow him or have a special relationship with him can never be resisted. Just like Simon and Andrew; James and John; and Jonah in the first reading, we need to respond to our call immediately.
REPENTANCE:

No matter what life, work, or ministry God calls us, God first calls us to convert, to reform, to repent — to continually become new people. Those who constantly reform will be able to follow where God leads. Today’s three readings underline the absolute necessity of such repentance and ready response to God’s call. According to the Gospel of Mark, Jesus began his ministry in Galilee proclaiming repentance “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the Good news” Mk 1:14. Similarly, Jonah in the first reading was sent by God to Nineveh to warn them about the impending punishment. The people of Nineveh believed in God, they proclaimed fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth as a sign of repentance. They turned from their evil ways and God changed his mind not to bring calamity upon them. Repentance is a process of coming back to God, changing of lives, and regretting our past mistakes. When God calls us to be Christians and have a closer union with him, He expects us to change our lives and live according to our call.

DETACHMENT: We cannot follow Christ with our baggage of this life. In Lk 9:23, Jesus told his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me”. In our Gospel today, Simon, Andrew, James, and John radically left everything; their boats, nets, families, friends, profession, work and responded to the fundamental call to follow Jesus. Jonah too had to leave his comfort zones and go to Nineveh to accomplish his mission. As Christians, we must also learn to detach ourselves from material things and commitments of this world for the kingdom of God. How many of us are not able to fulfill the Law of the Sabbath because of earthly commitment? In Mt 6:33, Jesus challenges us “Seek first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness and to all these things will be added to you” St, Paul in the second reading today calls on us not to become engrossed in the world, not to give ourselves over completely to what does not endure and is not of ultimate significance. While living in this world we are called to focus on the values of the Kingdom of God.

In brief, every one of us is called by God, both individually and collectively. The mission of preaching, teaching, and healing which Jesus began in Galilee is now the responsibility of the Church. Be we monks, priests, married or single laity, we are all called, and in this call, we become what God wants us to be. God is relentless in calling us back to Himself even when we stray away from Him. Let us be thankful to God for His Divine grace of calling us to be members of the true Church, the one and only Catholic, Holy, and Apostolic Church.

During this Eucharistic celebration, let us pray for the grace of Detachment, Repentance, and ability to open our hearts and respond to our call as Christians. May the values of the Kingdom of God be the center of our life.

PRAYER: Lord, make me know your ways. AMEN

HAVE A BLESSED SUNDAY!!!

Fr. Antony Muchui, SVD

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“May the heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all People. Amen”