Word to the Wise
Monday, January 11, 2016 - Monday in the 1st Week in Ordinary Time
[Heb 1:1-6 and Mark 1:14-20,929]MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 2016 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] We are now in what is called "Ordinary Time" in the liturgical daily cycle (Year I). The story of Jesus' ministry is now being told from the viewpoint of the Gospel of Mark. This is the shortest and least detailed of the three synoptic gospels. The other two, Matthew and Luke, borrow extensively from Mark but add stories and details missing from Mark. Mark's simplicity has a power to it, however, and we get a taste of it today. Jesus' message is a simple one but a powerful one. "This is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." I once preached a parish mission based on those three sentences and had the people repeat that message after me several times. Ultimately that is the message that we Christians want to get across. Jesus' message is not for yesterday or tomorrow, it is a message for today. Now is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is here today. Believing and changing our lives (repentance) is our challenge. We who are baptized are called to preach it in whatever way our gifts permit. Simon, Andrew, James and John in today's gospel heard the message. Because of their preaching, we are Christians today. Who will be a Christian tomorrow because of our preaching? AMEN