012 Third Sunday of Ordinary Time
Readings
Cycle B Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Old Testament: Jonah 3:1-5,10
Psalm: Psalm 25
New Testament: 1 Corinthians 7:29-31
Gospel: Mark 1:14-20
Homily Theme
Repent
In the first reading today, Jonah is told by God to preach to the sinful inhabitants of Nineveh that their city will be destroyed in 40 days. The Ninevites converted at Jonah’s preaching and put on sackcloth and ashes. When they repented and believed, God repented and spared their city. In our world today, there are many large cities with greater and more numerous sins than Nineveh. Most of the people of our world today also need to repent. Are we listening to that call?
In the gospel, Jesus preaches the same urgent message. The Kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe. When we hear this message we can think of many of our fellow citizens who need to listen to this call. If they all converted and believed and really practiced what they say they believe, then our world would be a wonderful place to live in. I am sure that the Ninevites thought along the same lines: the call is for others. No, the call is for us, for you and for me. We need to repent also and live what we profess. It is so easy to see the faults and sins of others and completely fail to see our own. If each of us became truly aware of our own sinfulness and turned our lives around by eliminating our sinful ways, then we would be in a wonderful world to live in.
Our world was warned at Fatima. Russia repented and was spared even though she spread her errors world wide as Mary predicted at Fatima in 1917. But they also have converted as she also predicted then. Russia is now more spiritual than we are in the west. The seminaries and convents are now full in Russia. Religion is now taught in their public schools. The Russian state has rebuilt and restored many of her formerly beautiful cathedrals and churches. They, like Nineveh, have repented and are now spreading the Good News of the gospel. They repented and so can we. And so will God if we do.
This Sunday, let us resolve to look into our own way of living and find what we need to work on in ourselves. What is it that Jesus sees in me that needs to be changed? If each and every one of us were to say this and really repent of our own sins, then God will repent of any plans that He has to chastise us. It happened when Jonah preached to the Ninevites, it has happened in Russia in our day, and it can happen again if we really repent and live what we profess to believe.
Repent! The Kingdom of God is at hand.