THE CALL TO REPENTANCE
First Reading: Jonah 3: 1-5 and 10
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 7: 29-31
Gospel Reading : Mark 1: 14-20
*First reading is from the book of Prophet Jonah. It is a description of how the Lord God sent Prophet Jonah to Nineveh. Nineveh was the capital city of Assyria- the bitter enemy of Israel. Jonah wanted the city and its inhabitants to be destroyed. But the Lord God chose Jonah to go to that city and preach His Word. The Lord God wanted to bring them to repentance and conversion. Jonah was very reluctant to go there and gave many excuses not to go there. But the Lord God almost by force sent him to Nineveh. When Jonah preached, the people of Nineveh, from the greatest to the least, repented of their sins and did penance. The Lord God spared the city from the impending punishment and destruction.
*Second reading is from the first letter of St. Paul to Corinthians. Paul exhorts the Christian community in the port city of Corinth to abandon their old sinful ways and to have a new way of following the teachings of Christ. He encourages them to consider the values of God's Kingdom above everything else. He tells them and us that after experiencing the love of Christ, an attitude of detachment to worldly pleasures is necessary.
The Kingdom of God is at hand Today's Gospel reading is from St. Mark. A description of the beginning of Jesus' ministry with the announcement of the Good News is mentioned. "The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Good News" is the keynote. Through this announcement Jesus tells us the following: 1. Repentance means experiencing conversion- a new way of life. It is a turning away from sin and turning to God's ways. The call to repentance is inclusive of everyone. 2. The good news is that forgiveness is available and recovery is possible. One can find one's true self even after the most disheartening fall or series of falls. We can come back to the Father's love where not judgement but welcome awaits us. In spite of our failures and sins, we are still very much loved unconditionally by God our loving Father. His love, His mercy and forgiveness are available to us through His Son Jesus. All we need to do is to recognize our need and seek His help with humility and sincerity. For He invites us to repentance and to the good news of the Kingdom.
"Deep sorrow does not come because one has violated a law, but only if one knows he has broken off the relationship with Divine Love. But there is yet another element required for regeneration, the element of repentance and reparation." - Arch Bishop Fulton J Sheen.
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