Readings for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Note: In 2009, the Jubilee Year of St. Paul, the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul may replace the celebration of the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time. Readings, commentary and reflection for that celebration are posted in the Memorial Bench for today. When this celebration option is used, Reading 2 from 1 Cor 7:29-31 (below) is used as Readings 2.
Readings and Commentary for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time:[3]
Reading 1: Jonah 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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jon 3:1-5, 10
Following his miraculous rescue from the belly of the great fish, the Prophet Jonah is sent to Nineveh, a traditional enemy of the Jews, to spread the news that, unless they repented their ways the city would be destroyed. It is not mentioned in this reading but Jonah was sure he would fail and the city would be destroyed. This reading, then, describes his unexpected success and God’s subsequent redemption.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm:[4] Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R. (4a) Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your love are from of old.
In your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice
and teaches the humble his way.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
Psalm 25 is an individual lament. The sinful psalmist prays that “Your ways” be made know. This request directs us to repentance and ultimately justice.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading II: 1 Corinthians 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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 1 Cor 7:29-31
St. Paul is answering questions put to him by the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 7:1-11:1). In this short passage we see the Apostles vision that the Eschaton is upon them, that is Christ’s second coming is eminent, to take place before their deaths (“For the world in its present form is passing away.”). His advice here has two levels of meaning. Understood from the perspective of the eminent return of Christ, the members of the community are to rejoice in the coming salvation. “The world . . . is passing away: Paul advises Christians to go about the ordinary activities of life in a manner different from those who are totally immersed in them and unaware of their transitoriness.”[5] Understood in a later period, he is echoing Christ’s urgency to reform, not to delay for “…you know neither the day nor the hour.” (Matthew 25:13).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Mark 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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mk 1:14-20
As it is in St. Mark’s account, it is noteworthy to observe that all of the Gospels show Jesus not beginning his public ministry until after the active ministry of St. John the Baptist has ended. The “Voice” decreases while the “Word” increases. We see the charismatic power of the Lord in the call of the first disciples in this passage. They come to him without inducement beyond his simple invitation to follow him. It is also notable that three of these first four, Simon, James, and John, develop the closest relationships with the Lord of all the disciples.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
Sacred Scripture places before us the stories of how God calls individuals to his service. In the first reading from Jonah, the prophet has gone through a conversion experience, been rescued by God from certain death, and sent on a specific mission – to call the people of Nineveh to repentance. While we were not given the part of the story that tells of Jonah’s skepticism about the success of what he was asked to do, we see that even his voice, the voice of an enemy of the people he addresses, bears fruit. The call is answered, the people are saved.
The Gospel tells us of the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry from St. Mark’s account. We hear the Lord’s mission unfold in what sound very similar to the call of the Baptist at least at first. “The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel.”
We immediately see something amazing though. As Jesus walks by the Sea of Galilee he calls to Simon and Andrew who are fishing. Mark does not give us the relationship between Andrew and St. John the Baptist we hear in St. Luke’s Gospel, we are just told that he calls to them “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They “left their nets”, they dropped their means of livelihood, essentially the most important things they owned, and followed him. Walking further Jesus encounters James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Again he calls to them. No explanation, just “he called them”, and they left their father, their family and followed him.
We begin to see the cost of discipleship in this short story. In no uncertain terms we are shown that the Lord’s most favored disciples did not need to be convinced by rhetoric or won over by long friendship. They heard the voice of Jesus and left all that was important in their lives, profession and family, to follow him.
The lessons we hear today take what we have built during the previous seasons of this year and push it to the next level. We have heard the Lord’s call. Now what shall we do? Our prayer today is that, like those first disciples, we can hear the Lord’s voice and place his mission first, in front of work and in front of even family in our hearts.
Pax
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Note: In 2009, the Jubilee Year of St. Paul, the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul may replace the celebration of the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time. Readings, commentary and reflection for that celebration are posted in the Memorial Bench for today. When this celebration option is used, Reading 2 from 1 Cor 7:29-31 (below) is used as Readings 2.
Readings and Commentary for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time:[3]
Reading 1: Jonah 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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jon 3:1-5, 10
Following his miraculous rescue from the belly of the great fish, the Prophet Jonah is sent to Nineveh, a traditional enemy of the Jews, to spread the news that, unless they repented their ways the city would be destroyed. It is not mentioned in this reading but Jonah was sure he would fail and the city would be destroyed. This reading, then, describes his unexpected success and God’s subsequent redemption.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm:[4] Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R. (4a) Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your love are from of old.
In your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice
and teaches the humble his way.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
Psalm 25 is an individual lament. The sinful psalmist prays that “Your ways” be made know. This request directs us to repentance and ultimately justice.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading II: 1 Corinthians 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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 1 Cor 7:29-31
St. Paul is answering questions put to him by the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 7:1-11:1). In this short passage we see the Apostles vision that the Eschaton is upon them, that is Christ’s second coming is eminent, to take place before their deaths (“For the world in its present form is passing away.”). His advice here has two levels of meaning. Understood from the perspective of the eminent return of Christ, the members of the community are to rejoice in the coming salvation. “The world . . . is passing away: Paul advises Christians to go about the ordinary activities of life in a manner different from those who are totally immersed in them and unaware of their transitoriness.”[5] Understood in a later period, he is echoing Christ’s urgency to reform, not to delay for “…you know neither the day nor the hour.” (Matthew 25:13).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Mark 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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mk 1:14-20
As it is in St. Mark’s account, it is noteworthy to observe that all of the Gospels show Jesus not beginning his public ministry until after the active ministry of St. John the Baptist has ended. The “Voice” decreases while the “Word” increases. We see the charismatic power of the Lord in the call of the first disciples in this passage. They come to him without inducement beyond his simple invitation to follow him. It is also notable that three of these first four, Simon, James, and John, develop the closest relationships with the Lord of all the disciples.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
Sacred Scripture places before us the stories of how God calls individuals to his service. In the first reading from Jonah, the prophet has gone through a conversion experience, been rescued by God from certain death, and sent on a specific mission – to call the people of Nineveh to repentance. While we were not given the part of the story that tells of Jonah’s skepticism about the success of what he was asked to do, we see that even his voice, the voice of an enemy of the people he addresses, bears fruit. The call is answered, the people are saved.
The Gospel tells us of the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry from St. Mark’s account. We hear the Lord’s mission unfold in what sound very similar to the call of the Baptist at least at first. “The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel.”
We immediately see something amazing though. As Jesus walks by the Sea of Galilee he calls to Simon and Andrew who are fishing. Mark does not give us the relationship between Andrew and St. John the Baptist we hear in St. Luke’s Gospel, we are just told that he calls to them “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They “left their nets”, they dropped their means of livelihood, essentially the most important things they owned, and followed him. Walking further Jesus encounters James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Again he calls to them. No explanation, just “he called them”, and they left their father, their family and followed him.
We begin to see the cost of discipleship in this short story. In no uncertain terms we are shown that the Lord’s most favored disciples did not need to be convinced by rhetoric or won over by long friendship. They heard the voice of Jesus and left all that was important in their lives, profession and family, to follow him.
The lessons we hear today take what we have built during the previous seasons of this year and push it to the next level. We have heard the Lord’s call. Now what shall we do? Our prayer today is that, like those first disciples, we can hear the Lord’s voice and place his mission first, in front of work and in front of even family in our hearts.
Pax
[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture used is “The Calling of St. Peter and St. Andrew” by Jacob Willemsz. De Wet, the Elder, c. 1660
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana
[4] Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.
[5] See NAB footnote on 1 Cor 7:29-31
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