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Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Mass Readings
First Reading: Jonah 3:1-5, 10
Responsorial: Psalm 25:4-9
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 7:29-31
Gospel: Mark 1:14-20
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012421.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/
Thank you for joining me today for another edition of deacon rudy’s notes where every weekend we break open the Word. I’m so happy you’re here!
This Sunday, we celebrate “Sunday of the Word of God.” In September 2019, Pope Francis asked that the third Sunday of Ordinary Time be set aside for the celebration, study, and dissemination of the Word of God. I’ll include a link to the document in the notes for this podcast. It’s a wonderful initiative to encourage all Catholics to become more familiar with Scripture and become more comfortable sharing the Good News with others. Todays’ readings give us some great ideas to reflect on with our families and friends.
Our first reading is from Jonah. I think Jonah reflects our times today, especially in light of the storming of the U.S. Capitol.
Jonah was probably written after the exile. During this time, Israel is more nationalistic and very intolerant and suspicion of their enemies. Jonah is a prophet, and he expects to serve God’s will for God’s people. But what happens? God sends Jonah to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria – to Israel’s enemy. So, God wants Jonah to preach a message of repentance and forgiveness for the enemies of the country. How do you think that message went down?
It didn’t! Jonah was so upset that he tried to escape and hide from God. The passage we read this Sunday shows that in the end, Jonah delivers God’s message to Nineveh. But Jonah did the bare minimum. He only preached the destruction of Nineveh. He says, “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed” (Jonah 3:4). Jonah didn’t offer a message of repentance. It was the king of Nineveh who, after hearing Jonah’s message from God, called his people to repent and convert (Jonah 3:4-10). God looked upon Nineveh and was moved by their repentance. So, God spares Nineveh.
Our passage today doesn’t give us Jonah’s reaction, so here’s the rest of the story. Spoiler alert! How do you think Jonah feels about God sparing his enemy? Jonah is ticked off! He is so upset he tells the Lord to take his life. Jonah says, “…Lord, please take my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live” (Jonah 4:3). That’s how upset he was with God. This very short book ends with God asking Jonah if God shouldn’t care about Nineveh and its 120,000 inhabitants and all their animals (Jonah 4:11). Of course, we know God does care about all creation.
One of the ideas that the Book of Jonah points is that while we might be narrow-minded and intolerant of people who are different from us or think differently from us, God’s mercy and love knows no limits. God’s mercy was not exclusively for Israel but was even available to Israel’s enemies.
Isn’t that a message for today? Sometimes we can become almost self-righteous in our points of view that we can’t think of our “enemies” as children of God. But the reality is that God cannot be limited by our politics! Understanding that might thaw frozen hearts and help us reach out to people not as our enemies but recognizing them as our neighbors. Oh sure, we might think of them as our annoying neighbors; but nonetheless, they are our neighbors. Everyone deserves to hear the Good News!
And the task of sharing the Good News is significant. In today’s Gospel, like what we heard last week in John, Jesus calls the first disciples. He calls Andrew and his brother, Simon Peter. A little farther down the coast, Jesus calls James and his brother John. What does he say to Andrew and Simon Peter? He says, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Mark 1:17).
Could God reveal himself to each and every one of us directly? Wouldn’t that be something – maybe like how in Captain Marvel, people can speak directly with the Supreme Intelligence. But that’s fiction. God will never force himself on anyone. So, Jesus asks us as disciples to become fishermen of other people. In other words, to share the Good News. To whom do we share the Good News? Well, as we heard in the first reading where Jonah preached to his pagan-enemies, and even in the second reading where Paul is writing to Gentiles, we are to bring the Good News to everyone regardless of how they voted and regardless of their political point of view.
This Sunday is Sunday of the Word of God, and our goal is to implement the prayer we hear in today’s Psalm: Teach me your ways, O Lord. Maybe that’s the only thing that can help us overcome the violence we saw at the capitol.
The bishops of the United States have a new website with some great resources to celebrate the Sunday of the Word of God. The website is catholic.bible. I’ll include all the links in the notes to this podcast. But there’s a handout called “New Habits Inspired by Sunday of the Word of God” and it has four simple ideas to spend time with Scripture: 1) the USCCB offers a Daily Readings Podcast, 2) Family Lectio Divina, 3) a resource from the Archdiocese of Detroit called “52Sundays” with some cool activities and reflections, and 4) try reading the Gospel before dinner. To this list, I would add that there are some excellent podcasts out there that can offer some discussion starters, like homilies by Bishop Robert Barron, or Fr. Larry Richards of the Reason for Our Hope Foundation, and of course, mine right here on deacon rudy’s notes!
So much to choose from, and that leads us to homework! Nourished by the Eucharist, the following two questions will help us implement Sunday of the Word of God. First, what are some ways you and your family and friends can celebrate Sunday of the Word of God this weekend? Second, what are some things you can do this year to learn more about Scripture, like joining a Bible study group or listening to Fr. Mike Schmitz and his videos called “The Bible in a Year.”
Let’s start 2021with some new ways to honor Scripture in our homes. Perhaps then the power of God’s love can transform our nation and our world! Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!
You’re listening to deacon rudy’s notes. Thank you for joining me today. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal. Join me again next weekend as we break open the Word. Peace!
Image Credit: The official logo for the Sunday of the Word of God was unveiled at the Vatican on January 17, 2020. The colorful logo depicts “The Road to Emmaus” and is based on an icon written by the late Benedictine Sister Marie-Paul Farran. The newly established day is being celebrated on January 26th. It is meant to be devoted to the celebration, study, and dissemination of the word of God. (courtesy Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization).
Bibliography/Suggested Reading:
1. Healy, Mary. The Gospel of Mark. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2008. Kindle.
2. Montague, George T SM. First Corinthians. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2011. Kindle.
Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. 520, 787-88: Jesus and his disciples
2. 543-46: Proclamation of the kingdom
3. 863-65: Vocation
4. 914-33: Consecrated life
5. 922-24: Consecration of virgins
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012421.cfm
Sunday of the Word of God
Lectionary: 68
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.
Responsorial
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.
Reading 2
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.
Alleluia
Mark 1:15
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
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.