Dear Brothers and Sisters,
It gives me great joy to write to you on this third Sunday in Ordinary Time. The Gospel reading from Mark Chapter 1 gives us the opportunity to consider the Kingdom of God and to consider Jesus’ call.
“This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." (Mk 1:15) Mark describes these words as the gospel of God; they tell us good news. Our salvation comes from God!
When Jesus says, “This is the time of fulfillment”, he is speaking of a decisive moment, of a turning point. He’s referring to God’s direct intervention. This is a time where God will fulfill his promises and will bring his plan of salvation to completion. In Jesus, God breaks into human history.
Jesus goes on. He says, “The kingdom of God is at hand.” God’s kingdom is right here, right now. It is embodied in Jesus, own person. In addition, it exists wherever God’s will is done. His will is completely fulfilled in heaven. And, it is fulfilled here on earth in every heart that surrenders to God. The words from the Lord’s Prayer apply here. “Your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Mt 6:10)
Jesus calls the people of Galilee and us to respond to the arrival of the Kingdom of God. He says, “Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Jesus asks us to turn back to him with all our hearts. He asks us to turn away from sin. He calls us to change our way of thinking and to change the priority of our lives.
Jesus calls us to faith with these words, “believe in the gospel.” We are to live the Gospel in order to bring about conversion and to make present the Kingdom of God. Through faith, anyone who chooses to can reach out and lay hold of it. The kingdom of God is so very close. The Gospel summarizes Jesus commands to his disciples: “love one another, even as I have loved you.”
St. Basil offers us a good summary. He writes, “A disciple is … whoever draws near to the Lord to follow him -- to hear his words, to believe and obey him as Lord and king and doctor and teacher of truth… So, whoever believes in the Lord and presents himself ready for discipleship must first learn to set aside every sin and everything that distracts from obedience owed to the Lord.”
Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us ask the Lord in prayer to open our ears and our hearts to his call. Let us ask Jesus to help us become better disciples with each passing day. Amen.
YBIC,
Deacon Ray Rodriguez
