Daily Readings - Sun Jan 21 2018
Jonah
1Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time:2"Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you."3Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city-a visit required three days.4On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned."5The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.10When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.
1 Corinthians
29What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none;30those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep;31those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.
Mark
14After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.15"The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"16As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.17"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."18At once they left their nets and followed him.19When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets.20Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of repentance, detachment, and responding to God's call. In the first reading, Jonah, after initial reluctance, preaches to Nineveh, leading the people to repentance and God's mercy. This story underscores the power of turning back to God and His compassionate response. The second reading from Corinthians encourages us to live in the present with a sense of detachment, recognizing the transient nature of the world, and to focus on eternal values. The Gospel shows Jesus calling the first disciples, who immediately leave their nets to follow Him, exemplifying a prompt and total response to God's invitation.
These readings are interconnected through the theme of conversion. Jonah's mission leads to collective repentance, Paul advises on living with a focus on eternity, and the Gospel illustrates the disciples' immediate response to Jesus. Together, they emphasize a change in life direction towards God. The call to repentance in Jonah and the call to discipleship in the Gospel highlight the importance of conversion and trust in God's providence.
In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to be open to God's call, live with detachment from worldly concerns, and respond promptly to His invitations. The moral lesson is clear: conversion is an ongoing process, and trusting in God's plan leads to a life of purpose and fulfillment. Let us embrace this call to conversion, living each day with faith and trust in God's loving providence.