Catechism Links[1]
CCC 51-64: God’s
plan of Revelation
CCC 1427-1433: Inner,
ongoing conversion
CCC 1886-1889: Conversion
and society
 |
| “The Calling of St. Peter and by Jacob Willemsz. De Wet, the Elder, c. 1660 |
Readings and Commentary:[4]
Reading 1: Jonah 3:1-5, 10
The
word of the LORD came to Jonah, saying:
"Set
out for the great city of Nineveh
and
announce to it the message that I will tell you."
So
Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh
according
to the LORD'S bidding.
Now
Nineveh
it
took three days to go through it.
Jonah
began his journey through the city,
and
had gone but a single day's walk announcing,
"Forty
days more and Nineveh
when
the people of Nineveh
they
proclaimed a fast
and
all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth.
When
God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way,
he
repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them;
he
did not carry it out.
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Commentary on
Jon
3:1-5, 10
Following his miraculous rescue from the belly of the great fish,
the Prophet Jonah is sent to Nineveh, a traditional enemy of his people, the
Jews. He is sent to spread the news that the city would be destroyed unless all
of the residents of the city repented of their ways. It is not mentioned in
this reading, but Jonah was sure he would fail and the city would be destroyed.
This reading describes his unexpected success and God’s subsequent redemption.
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R. (4a) Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Your
ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach
me your paths,
Guide
me in your truth and teach me,
for
you are God my savior.
R. Teach me your ways, O
Lord.
Remember
that your compassion, O LORD,
and
your love are from of old.
In
your kindness remember me,
because
of your goodness, O LORD.
R. Teach me your ways, O
Lord.
Good
and upright is the LORD;
thus
he shows sinners the way.
He
guides the humble to justice
and
teaches the humble his way.
R. Teach me your ways, O
Lord.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on
Ps
25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
Psalm 25 is an individual lament. The sinful psalmist prays that “your
ways” be made known. This request directs us to repentance and ultimately
guides us to justice. In the first strophe of this hymn, we hear support for
our belief that God answered the prayers of our ancient ancestors. Their trust
was justified. The song continues as an individual prayer asking for guidance
and salvation.
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Reading II: 1 Corinthians 7:29-31
I
tell you, brothers and sisters, the time is running out.
From
now on, let those having wives act as not having them,
those
weeping as not weeping,
those
rejoicing as not rejoicing,
those
buying as not owning,
those
using the world as not using it fully.
For
the world in its present form is passing away.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on
1 Cor
7:29-31
St. Paul is answering questions put
to him by the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 7:1-11:1). In this
short passage we see the Apostle's vision that the Eschaton is coming soon,
that Christ’s second coming is imminent, to take place before their deaths (“For
the world in its present form is passing away.”). His advice here has two
levels of meaning. Understood from the perspective of the imminent return of
Christ, the members of the community are to rejoice in the coming salvation. “The
world . . . is passing away: Paul advises Christians to go about the
ordinary activities of life in a manner different from those who are totally
immersed in them and unaware of their transitoriness.”[5] Understood in a
later period, he is echoing Christ’s urgency to reform, not to delay for “…you
know neither the day nor the hour.” (Matthew 25:13).
CCC: 1 Cor 7:31 1619
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Gospel: Mark 1:14-20
After
John had been arrested,
Jesus
came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:
"This
is the time of fulfillment.
The
kingdom of God
Repent,
and believe in the gospel."
As
he passed by the Sea of Galilee ,
he
saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea;
they
were fishermen.
Jesus
said to them,
"Come
after me, and I will make you fishers of men."
Then
they abandoned their nets and followed him.
He
walked along a little farther
and
saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They
too were in a boat mending their nets.
Then
he called them.
So
they left their father Zebedee in the boat
along
with the hired men and followed him.
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Commentary on
Mk
1:14-20
It is noteworthy to observe that
all of the Gospel accounts show Jesus beginning his public ministry after the
active ministry of St. John the Baptist has ended. The “Voice” decreases while
the “Word” increases. We see the charismatic power of the Lord in the call of
the first disciples from St. Mark’s Gospel. They follow him without inducement
beyond his simple invitation to follow him. It is also notable that three of
these first four, Simon, James, and John, develop the closest relationships
with the Lord of all the disciples.
CCC: Mk 1:15 541,
1423, 1427; Mk 1:16-20 787
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Reflection:
Sacred
Scripture places before us the stories of how God calls individuals to his
service. In the first reading from
Jonah, the prophet has gone through a conversion experience. He has been
rescued by God from certain death, and sent on a specific mission – to call the
people of Nineveh
The
Gospel tells us about the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry from St. Mark’s
account. We hear the Lord’s mission unfold in what sounds very similar to the
call of John the Baptist, at least at first. “The Kingdom
of God
However,
we immediately see something amazing. As Jesus walks by the Sea
of Galilee he calls to Simon and Andrew who are fishing. Mark does
not give us the relationship between St. Andrew and St. John the Baptist that
we hear in St. Luke’s Gospel. In Mark we are just told that he calls to them: “Come after me, and I will make you fishers
of men.” They “left their nets,”
they dropped their means of livelihood, essentially the most important things
they owned, and followed him. Walking further Jesus encounters James and John,
the sons of Zebedee. Again he calls to them. There is no explanation, just “he called them,” and they left their
father, their family and followed him.
We
begin to see the cost of discipleship in this short story. In no uncertain
terms we are shown that the Lord’s most favored disciples did not need to be
convinced by rhetoric, or won over by long friendship. They heard the voice of
Jesus and left all that was important in their lives, their professions and their
families, to follow him.
The
lessons we hear today take what we have built during the previous seasons of
this year and push it to the next level. We have heard the Lord’s call. Now
what shall we do? Our prayer today is that, like those first disciples, we can
hear the Lord’s voice and place his mission first, before work and even before
family, in our hearts.
Pax
In other years on this date: Memorial of Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr
[1]
Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, Published by the Congregation for
Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014
[2]
The picture used is “The Calling of St. Peter and St.
Andrew” by Jacob Willemsz. De Wet, the Elder, c. 1660
[4] The readings are taken from the New
American Bible with the exception of the Psalm and its response which were
developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This re-publication
is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[5]
See NAB footnote on 1 Cor 7:29-31
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