Word to the Wise
Monday, January 11, 2010 - Monday in the First Week in Ordinary Time
[1 Samuel 1:1-8 and Mark 1:14-20]"This is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel." (Mark) "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of people."
The Gospel of Mark does not provide us with an "overture" like Matthew and Luke do. It puts everything "up front" The main theme is stated outright and the expected response is clearly described. Jesus presents himself as the fulfillment of the messianic hopes of Israel (although not as some expected). He is "putting skin" on God's promises. The only way to respond is to put family and material concerns aside and to follow him! All of this is present in this one Gospel passage today. Simon and Andrew leave their boat and their father to follow Jesus. Where does that leave us? Are we staring at a page of writing about something that happened long ago and thinking it was "all well and good back then, but I've got a spouse and children and a mortgage, etc. etc.?" Does the message excite us at all? Or do we say of Jesus: "Bless his heart, I love him to bits, but he expects too much of little ol' me! I'll just join his club and pay dues." Joining the club, maybe because we know someone else who does, is a sort of first step, but for too many it's also the last step! Jesus isn't starting a "club" (although some act as if that is what the Church is). He is not proclaiming the "kingdom of niceness." He is proclaiming nothing less than our fundamental reason for existing at all: to love God and neighbor. If that is not exciting enough to follow him and invite others IN OUR OWN DAY AND AGE, then what IS worth hoping for? AMEN