Saturday, January 24th, 2014, 7:00 AM

Maranatha, Maranatha,
Come, Oh Lord.
And set us free!

"In Deo Speramus"

(In God We Hope)

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Duccio di Buoninsegna, The Calling of the
Apostles Peter and Andrew (detail). 1308-1311

As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew ... : "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."

Readings:

John 3:1-5, 10

Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

1 Corinthians 7:29-31

Mark 1:14-21

First Reading

Jon 3:1-5, 10

The word of the LORD came to Jonah, saying:
"Set out for the great city of Nineveh,
and announce to it the message that I will tell you."
So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh,
according to the LORD'S bidding.
Now Nineveh was an enormously large city;
it took three days to go through it.
Jonah began his journey through the city,
and had gone but a single day's walk announcing,
"Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed, "
when 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.

The Word of the Lord

Discussion Questions:

1. Jonah says, "God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way." In the Gospel reading Jesus says: "The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel." What do Jonah's and Jesus' announcements have in common? Were these announcements intended for every nation and every person on earth?

2. What was God looking for in the Ninevites? What is God looking for in you? Does God call you to conversion just once or over and over again? Why?

Second Reading

1 Cor 7:29-31

I tell you, brothers and sisters, the time is running out.
From now on, let those having wives act as not having them,
those weeping as not weeping,
those rejoicing as not rejoicing,
those buying as not owning,
those using the world as not using it fully.
For the world in its present form is passing away.

The Word of the Lord

Discussion Questions

1. Do you think the message in this reading is how to prepare for the next life or how to be happy in this life? Does putting your security in the goods of this world make you happy? Paul says, "Let ... those using the world [act] as not using it fully." Could this be a recipe for happiness now?

2. Does your culture help or hinder your detachment from possessions (many toys, many gadgets, many messages advertising the security that "things" bring)? Explain.

Alleluia, alleluia.

The kingdom of God is at hand.

Repent and believe in the Gospel.

Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mk 1:14-20

After John had been arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:
"This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel."

As he passed by the Sea of Galilee,
he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea;
they were fishermen.
Jesus said to them,
"Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."
Then they abandoned their nets and followed him.
He walked along a little farther
and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They too were in a boat mending their nets.
Then he called them.
So they left their father Zebedee in the boat
along with the hired men and followed him.

The Gospel of the Lord

Discussion Questions:

1. Must you be called as a missionary and go to Africa, or could you be called to bring the Good News wherever you are and in whatever you do? How does Jesus call you?

2. According to Pope Francis's statement below, do you have to be perfect to be called? Is the Lord with you when you make mistakes? How does he show his eternal love?

It seems in this passage that Simon, Andrew, James and John are chosen once-and-for-all: and yes, they were chosen! At this moment in the story, however, they had not been faithful to the last. After being chosen, they went on to make mistakes.

When things are not going well, He (the Lord) gets Himself involved in history, he sorts the situation, and goes forward with us. Think of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, of that list: this one begets that one, and that one begets this one, and so on. ... In that story there are men and women who are sinners. How did the Lord work it all out? He stepped in, He straightened the path, He put things right. Think of the great David, a great sinner, and then a great saint. The Lord knows. When the Lord tells us: "With eternal love, I have loved you," He is referring to this. The Lord has been thinking of us for many generations-of each and every one of us."

Pope Francis Vatican Radio/VIS Posted: ICN

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Oremus pro invicem

(Let us pray for one another)

"Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."
Then they abandoned their nets and followed him.

Jesus called
Simon and Andrew.

It
was
radical.
No questions.
They dropped their nets.

James and John quit their boats
and their father, who was
left sitting in one.

Jesus
we know
that you are
calling us
too.

We want to leave our boats
and leave our nets.
Help us let
go.

Amen

Deus fit homo ut homo fieret Deus

God became human so that humans might become God

(Catholicism, Page 2 by Fr. Robert Barron)

"The Glory of God is a human being fully alive."

Meyers, Robin R. (2009-02-19). Saving Jesus from the Church: How to Stop Worshiping Christ and Start Following Jesus (Kindle Location 639). Harper Collins, Inc.. Kindle Edition.

God "dwells in us."

God's love is not meant for us alone;

we must give it away.

Do small things today and for many tomorrows,
with a generous heart.

Give God Away Today!

Help us then, Lord,

to be so united with the paschal mystery of Jesus,

that through Him the world can become a better place to dwell.

You promise us much for this life

and for our eternal presence with You;

may we live into that promise

each day.

An interesting thought:

The birth of St. John is celebrated on June 24th, in the moment of the summer solstice. From that point onward, daylight begins to reduce. On the other hand, the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ is celebrated on December 25th, during the winter solstice. From that point onward, daylight begins to grow, to get longer.

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