3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)
Liturgy of the Hours, 3rd week, optional memorials omitted

The Lord calls us to collaborate in building the Kingdom of God. This Sunday, let us commit ourselves to recognizing Jesus' call in the small things of our lives and ask him to help us leave our nets behind to follow him, trusting that this path will make us better people and bearers of this joy to others.

Texts taken from the “Sulla Tua Parola” Missal, January-February 2021.

FIRST READING

From the book of the prophet Jonah (Jon 3:1-5, 10)
The word of the Lord came to Jonah: “Get up, go to Nineveh, the great city, and announce to them what I tell you.” Jonah got up and went to Nineveh according to the word of the Lord. Nineveh was a very large city, a three-day journey across. Jonah began to go through the city for one day's journey and preached: “Forty more days and Nineveh shall be destroyed.” The people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least. God saw their works, that is, that they had turned from their evil conduct, and God relented concerning the evil he had threatened to do to them, and he did not do it. - The word of the Lord.

Commentary on the first reading

In the mindset of the people living in the environment where the Bible was composed, Nineveh is the city of sin par excellence. Its inhabitants are rebels against God, people who cannot be trusted and from whom one should keep away. Indeed, at the beginning of his book, as soon as Jonah received the mission to go precisely to that city, he fled in exactly the opposite direction. Only the Lord can work this miracle. First of all in the prophet himself, raising him from his spiritual death and giving him the courage and strength to carry out his mission of salvation even among all those with whom he wanted nothing to do. Then in the people of Nineveh themselves, who “believed God and proclaimed a fast.” Today too, it is not enough to lament the sin present in the world while living without being willing to lift a finger in favor of greater and authentic love, renewed hope, and restored communion. Each of us can move from proud prejudice to awareness of our own responsibility to proclaim God's salvation. It is possible for everyone; all we need to do is open our hearts to the voice of the Lord.

SECOND READING

From the first letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians (1 Cor 7:29-31)
I tell you this, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short; from now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none; those who mourn as though they were not mourning; those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing; those who buy as though they did not possess; and those who use the goods of the world as though they were not using them fully. For the form of this world is passing away!

Commentary on the second reading

“I tell you this, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short […]. For the form of this world is passing away!” In this letter, Saint Paul confronts us with questions that concern every stage of life: will the Lord return or not? How will I meet my Lord and God? The very first Christians asked themselves these questions, and after so many centuries, we too remain here in our uncertainty or in our faith. Christians of the first generations lived with a doubt of this kind: if the Lord Jesus is returning soon, or we are going to meet him almost immediately, there is no point in committing ourselves to building a better world made of love; after all, the Lord Jesus Christ himself will take care of it shortly. If, on the other hand, the Lord will return after a long time, we may risk thinking that in the meantime we should live while attending to our own affairs and comforts, because later we will have time to think about God, his salvation, and conversion. Saint Paul invites us to face life differently, overcoming both risks: the foundational criterion is Christ, whom we are to meet every day; every moment contains a precious pearl. Therefore, let us not allow ourselves to be dazzled by it, but seek it with confidence and praise the God who never fails to provide anything for his children.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Mark (Mk 1:14-20)
After John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God and saying: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel.” As he passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon's brother, casting their nets into the sea; for they were fishermen. Jesus said to them: “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” And immediately they abandoned their nets and followed him. Going a little farther, he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John, while they too were in the boat mending their nets. And immediately he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. - The word of the Lord.

Commentary on the Gospel of the day

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel.” The theme of this Sunday is presented by the readings in a very straightforward way: the prophet Jonah announces and brings about conversion; Saint Paul invites us to a healthy expectation of the Lord Jesus Christ, who gives us a balanced, intelligent, and love-filled way of relating to our existence; the Gospel points to Jesus as the one who brings life to fulfillment. The Bible itself presents our existence as a pilgrimage. Indeed, there is a great difference between a hiker, a wanderer, and a pilgrim. A hiker travels to relax, enjoy the scenery, spend time with others, or reach a goal: all beautiful things, but insufficient to give meaning to existence. It would be like limiting ourselves to living according to the motto: “Live lightly, have fun.” That may be fine for a weekend or a few days of vacation, but then we find ourselves holding nothing but a handful of sand. The wanderer, who has no destination, necessarily has to get by with a little cunning and a great deal of luck. The Church, on the other hand, a pilgrim on earth, has a destination, the Lord Jesus Christ, and walks in balance between sound cleverness and trust in providence.