Cycle B - Year I:  

25 January 2015: Third Sunday in Ordinary Time 

(Liturgical color: Green)

Mark 1:14-20

The Kingdom of God is at hand!

After a series of solemnities or special feasts, and the spiritual grace of the pastoral visit of Pope Francis to our beloved country, life goes back to normal. And this Sunday we resume the liturgical season called Ordinary Time, and it is the Third in Ordinary Time.

Ordinary Time, in the Catholic liturgical calendar, is that part in the yearly cycle of 33 or 34 weeks in which there is no particular aspect of the mystery of Christ being celebrated, but rather the mystery of Christ in all its fullness is observed. The liturgical color of the priest's vestment and the altar cloth changes to green. 

The Gospel written by St. Mark narrates the beginning of Jesus' public ministry, when John the Baptist had been arrested and imprisoned. Jesus came to Galilee, his home district, to proclaim the gospel of God.

Jesus takes off from John's preaching on repentance: "This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." (Mk 1:15)

Repentance requires a life-change and a transformation of heart and mind. By repentance Jesus challenges us to change direction and priorities in life. It is not just turning away from our old sinful ways but more on turning to a new life by believing in the good news of the gospel. It is through repentance that the human person finds true liberation -- freedom from the wages of sin and the discovery of authentically integrated life in Christ.

To believe is to take Jesus at His words as He proclaims the good news of God's kingdom, to believe that God loves us so much that He sent His only begotten Son to redeem us from the slavery of sin and death, to believe is to trust that God never abandons even in time of adversities. In the words of Pope Francis, Jesus is with us even in suffering and trials. Because the Lord brings us through sufferings to purify us.

What is the Good News that Jesus is preaching? It is the good news of peace (meaning, restoration of our relationship with God), of hope in the resurrection and heaven, of truth (because God's word is true and reliable), of promise or rewards for those who seek Him, of immortality (because God gives everlasting life), and the good news of salvation, which actually means liberty from sin and freedom to live as sons and daughters of the Father.

The second part of the Sunday gospel narrates how Jesus calls his first recruits as

apostles. They were ordinary fishermen in the Sea of Galilee casting their nets into the sea: Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, and two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee and his brother, John. He called them to follow Him and they immediately left their boat and their father and followed Jesus. We cannot fail to notice the significance of Jesus' call for His first apostles. Our Lord recruited two sets of brothers to be His followers. It means that the seed of every vocation is really in the family. Love and protection of the family is also among the central theme of Pope Francis' message to the Filipino faithful.

By our own baptism, we too are called to continue the mission that Jesus began in Galilee. Through our authentic Christian living we proclaim the Good News in our time and become witnesses of God's love, especially for the poor and the suffering people in our midst. That is the challenge of the people's Pope Francis: mercy and compassion for the poor in our society.

The Church also celebrates National Bible Sunday with the theme: "Sharing the Word, Empowering the Poor, Transforming the Land." We are invited to deepen our faith through God's Word. Let us keep the habit of daily reading and reflecting on the Word of God in the bible under the faithful guidance of our Mother Church.

A blessed Sunday to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!