Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 21, 2024
First Reading: Jonah 3.1-5, 10
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.
Psalm 25
1To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;2in you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.3No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse.4Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths;5guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.6Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.7Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD.8Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.9He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.10All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant.11For the sake of your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great.12Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.13He will spend his days in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land.14The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.15My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare.16Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.17The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish.18Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins.19See how my enemies have increased and how fiercely they hate me!20Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.21May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you.22Redeem Israel, O God, from all their troubles!
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 7.29-31
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.
Gospel: Mark 1.14-20
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 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.