Daily Readings - Sun Jan 24 2021
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
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful messages of repentance, urgency, and living with an eternal perspective. The Book of Jonah recounts the story of Jonah, who, after initial reluctance, obeys God’s call to preach to the people of Nineveh. The Ninevites, upon hearing Jonah’s warning of impending destruction, repent sincerely, and God, in His mercy, spares them. This narrative underscores God’s desire for conversion and His boundless compassion.
In the second reading from 1 Corinthians, Paul urges the Corinthians to live with detachment from worldly concerns, recognizing that our time on earth is short. He advises them to approach life’s joys and sorrows with a sense of detachment, knowing that the world’s current form is transient. This teaching challenges us to focus on eternal values rather than fleeting worldly gains.
The Gospel from Mark introduces Jesus beginning His ministry after John the Baptist’s arrest. Jesus proclaims the nearness of the kingdom of God, calling people to repentance and faith. His immediate calling of the disciples, who leave their nets without hesitation, highlights the urgency of responding to God’s call. Their prompt obedience exemplifies living with purpose and trust in God’s plan.
These readings connect through themes of repentance, urgency, and detachment. Jonah’s mission and the Ninevites’ response show the power of repentance, while Paul’s advice and Jesus’ call emphasize living with an eternal focus. In our daily lives, we are invited to respond to God’s call with urgency, letting go of worldly attachments and embracing a life centered on faith and trust in God’s mercy. Let us live with purpose, trusting in God’s plan and striving to align our lives with His will.