Sermon/Homily for the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B 21st January 2024

Homily for the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B. 

Jonah 3:1-5,10. Psalm 25:4-6ab,6,7bc,8-9. 1 Corinthians 7:29-31. Mark 1:14-20

Theme: How to Answer Christ's Call.

Today's Gospel tells us what should characterise our answer to the Lord's call. The Lord, before calling his disciples,  proclaimed the good news from God. It is the news of salvation that gives power to conquer sin. He said, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel" (Mark 1:15). This duty of calling people to repentance is very hectic. It requires many hands. Jesus could not do it alone. Hence, Jesus called his first four disciples, and they left everything and followed him. Jesus sought them out at their work, and He drew on their occupation as fishermen to choose a simile by which to tell them what their new mission in life was to be.

If we are to follow Christ, our souls like that of his first four disciples have to be free from any attachments: from love of self in the first place; for an excessive concern for our health or for the future, from riches and material goods. When the heart is set upon and filled with concern for earthly goods, there is no room in it for God.

These four disciples were called from their work as fishermen. Whatever you are is a tool for helping Jesus as a disciple to evangelise. Do not say I am not called. Just submit your marriage, business, work, studies, etc. to him. He must surely transform them into tools for winning souls.

Do not be afraid or selfish, like Jonah, who before preaching to the people of Nineveh in today's first reading avoided going to preach to the people of Nineveh. If you do, God will definitely do to you what He did to Jonah.

Finally, Jonah went to preach at Nineveh, and contrary to what he expected, the people of Nineveh repented. A fast was proclaimed, and they put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them (cf.Jon.3:5).

The second reading stresses  that we have very little time at our disposal, and we need to use it well. Our life is precious, and we can't run the risk of spoiling it by rejecting Christ when He calls us.

On this day, the Catholic Church dedicates to the Word of God in the Scripture, we are called to transform our ourselves according to the mind of God. The Church encourages us to re-examine our ways in order to avoid the imminent wrath of God and enjoy his mercy.

The word of God preached by Jonah resulted in the conversion of the people of Nineveh to amend their lives. Jesus invites us to repent and believe in the Gospel. Everyday, God calls us to a change of life. Why are we having difficulties in answering his call? Probably, we have what we stand to lose materially in following him. A corrupt politician will stop his/her corrupt practices if he/she decides to follow Christ. The lukewarm Christians will abandon their shoddy practices after repentance. Are these enough reasons for dying in our sins? This is the time to repent because the world is passing away (cf.1 Cor.7:31). O that today you will listen to his word, harden not your hearts.

May God's word, which we have heard today, lead to our genuine conversion through Christ our Lord. Amen.