Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 21, 2024
First Reading: Jonah 3.1-5, 10
1Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying,2"Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you."3So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days' journey in breadth.4Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's journey. And he called out, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!"5And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.10When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.
Psalm 25
1To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.2O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me.3Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.4Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.5Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.6Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.7Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O LORD!8Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.9He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.10All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.11For your name's sake, O LORD, pardon my guilt, for it is great.12Who is the man who fears the LORD? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.13His soul shall abide in well-being, and his offspring shall inherit the land.14The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.15My eyes are ever toward the LORD, for he will pluck my feet out of the net.16Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.17The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses.18Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.19Consider how many are my foes, and with what violent hatred they hate me.20Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me! Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.21May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.22Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 7.29-31
29This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none,30and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods,31and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.
Gospel: Mark 1.14-20
14Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God,15and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."16Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.17And Jesus said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men."18And immediately they left their nets and followed him.19And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets.20And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful messages of repentance, urgency, and discipleship. The Book of Jonah recounts the prophet's call to Nineveh, a city steeped in sin, where the people's repentance leads to God's mercy. This story underscores the transformative power of turning away from sin and towards God. In 1 Corinthians, Paul urges believers to live with detachment, recognizing the fleeting nature of worldly concerns. He encourages a life focused on eternal values amidst temporal distractions. The Gospel of Mark depicts Jesus beginning His ministry, calling the first disciples with a sense of immediacy, highlighting the urgency of responding to God's call.
These readings intertwine themes of repentance, living with purpose, and prompt obedience. Jonah's mission and the people's response illustrate the universal call to repentance, while Paul's advice in Corinthians reminds us to keep our sights on the eternal. Mark's account of the disciples leaving their nets to follow Jesus embodies the radical response required to follow Christ. Together, they challenge us to reevaluate our priorities and respond wholeheartedly to God's invitation.
In our daily lives, these themes invite us to reflect on our own repentance, detachment from worldly distractions, and readiness to follow God's call. Let us embrace the urgency of living as disciples, seeking to align our lives with God's will. May we, like the people of Nineveh and the first disciples, respond with faith and commitment, trusting in God's grace to transform our lives and the world around us.