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Created: 24 January 2021

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B

The Holy Scriptures of this Sunday speak to us of the calling from the Lord to be his followers.

The first reading is taken from the Book of Jonah (Jonah 3:1-5, 10). At first the prophet did not want to go to Nineveh, and tried to run away from the task. Unsuccessfully avoiding the mission, Jonah walked through the great city of Nineveh to call its people to change their ways of living in order to avoid God's wrath.

The people of Nineveh believed God; 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. (Jonah 3:5-10)

The Gospel (Mark 1:14-20) recalls the way that Peter, Andrew, James and John responded Jesus' call to follow him. They followed Him immediately, without any hesitation. They abandoned all, even their parents, to follow Jesus.

When saints Andrew, James, John, especially Peter embraced the call from the Lord, they held fast to it. They even gave up their lives for the Lord and his church. Indeed, they became the foundation upon which the Lord Jesus built his church.

For you have built your Church to stand firm on apostolic foundations, to be a lasting sign of your holiness on earth and offer all humanity your heavenly teaching. (Preface II of the Apostle in Roman Missal)

How about us? We know that God's call for each of us is no different from his call for people of previous ages. He calls us to follow him and live in his grace. He calls us to bring forth his love into our own very life and the life of all human race. He calls us to be living witnesses of the God, whom we believe in and worship, who is gracious, compassionate, and rich in mercy.

Have you heard his voice?

Fr. Phi Nguyen