Daily Readings - Sun Jan 21 2018

First Reading - Jonah 3.1-5, 10

¹And the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying²Rise, and go to Nineveh, the great city. And preach in it the preaching that I say to you³And Jonah rose, and he went to Nineveh in accordance with the word of the Lord. And Nineveh was a great city of three days’ journey⁴And Jonah began to enter into the city one day’s journey. And he cried out and said, "Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed.⁵And the men of Nineveh believed in God. And they proclaimed a fast, and they put on sackcloth, from the greatest all the way to the least¹⁰And God saw their works, that they had been converted from their evil way. And God took pity on them, concerning the harm that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it

Second Reading - 1 Corinthians 7.29-31

1 Corinthians

Chapter 7

²⁹And so, this is what I say, brothers: The time is short. What remains of it is such that: those who have wives should be as if they had none³⁰and those who weep, as though they were not weeping; and those who rejoice, as if they were not rejoicing; and those who buy, as if they possessed nothing³¹and those who use the things of this world, as if they were not using them. For the figure of this world is passing away

Gospel - Mark 1.14-20

Mark

Chapter 1

¹⁴Then, after John was handed over, Jesus went into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God¹⁵and saying: "For the time has been fulfilled and the kingdom of God has drawn near. Repent and believe in the Gospel.¹⁶And passing by the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew, casting nets into the sea, for they were fishermen¹⁷And Jesus said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.¹⁸And at once abandoning their nets, they followed him¹⁹And continuing on a little ways from there, he saw James of Zebedee and his brother John, and they were mending their nets in a boat²⁰And immediately he called them. And leaving behind their father Zebedee in the boat with his hired hands, they 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.