Sunday word, 21 Jan 18

Third Sunday of the Year B (14 Jan 2018)

Jon 3. 15, 10; Ps 25; 1Co 7. 29-31; Mk 1. 14-20

Homily of Fr. Paul Panaretos, S.J.

New Thing

I’d like to focus on the opening words of today’s gospel selection. I quickly pass over them and get to the action of Jesus calling his first disciples. Jesus calling them, you and me is important. Focus on the words leading up the action reminds us what God’s news is about and what is costs us.

I paused at the opening words of today’s gospel selection because a word echoed: gospel. Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God. With that word Mark began his portrait of Jesus: The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God.

Jesus began to announce God’s good news—gospel—as the Baptizer had: repent. The evangelist reminds that Jesus began his ministry of proclaiming the gospel of God…after John had been arrested. That took courage; Jesus risked arrest to call for repentance. Religion and its experience involve the whole person. Our separation of religion to a private realm life intended to ensure people’s freedom to worship; over time that intention has separated us from ourselves.

God’s news that Jesus announced was about making accessible God’s creating and restoring way: the time is fulfilled; the kingdom of God has come near. Jesus used the language of his day: kingdom was a monarch’s realm; it embodied a monarch’s project for his rule. The deeper reality was not about space—God has come near as though once God was distant; the deeper reality Jesus announced was these: God was welcoming and God’s creative project was available. Welcoming and available to all were new religious textures; Jesus embodied both.

Jesus welcomed everyone. Many in his day could not afford religious practices that the religious professionals endorsed. They announced their ways with fanfare that drowned the ways scripture accommodated the poor and those less well-off. The religious professionals aped separateness—holy means set apart—rather than live differently to attract others to God. Jesus welcoming way attracted people to God.

Jesus drew people to him so they might enjoy personal assurance of God’s intimacy. He also chose people to do what he did. All Jesus required was that others repent: to open their hearts and reorient themselves to God creating each moment. This was also a risk. If it didn’t entail the possibility of arrest, it was new. In his culture novelty was suspect. Religions of every sort passed on ancient, ancestral customs and learning. In everything old was better than new.

Yet new circumstances constantly present them-selves, and people did adjust and adapt—even the religious professionals. People who began to find their voices noticed Jesus’ new ways: his were a new teaching with authority!¹ They experienced God indeed is among us and for us.

Tradition and novelty coexist. It challenges us;  but Jesus who is the same yesterday, today and for all time, is forever doing a new thing.² Repent opens us to Jesus as truly among us and guiding us.

In your daily 15 minutes with Jesus this week

• Pause in the company of our triune God creating us each moment.
• Ask Mary and the saints to present us to Jesus.
• Chat with him: praise him for becoming human for us; thank him for announcing God’s welcome and constant care.
• Ask Jesus for grace to reorient ourselves and open our hearts more to him.
• Close saying slowing the Lord’s Prayer. His words, thy will be done, reassure that God desires great things for us and all people.

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1. Mark 1.27.
2. Hebrews 13.8; Isaiah 43.19.

Link to this homily’s Spiritual Exercise

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Wiki-image Jesus Calls Peter and Andrew PD-US; Walking Refle-ction © Tomas Castelazo, www.tomascastelazo.com / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0