"The kingdom of God is at hand"
Monday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1HEB 1:1-6Brothers and sisters:
In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways
to our ancestors through the prophets;
in these last days, he spoke to us through the Son,
whom he made heir of all things
and through whom he created the universe,
who is the refulgence of his glory,
the very imprint of his being,
and who sustains all things by his mighty word.
When he had accomplished purification from sins,
he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
as far superior to the angels
as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
For to which of the angels did God ever say:
You are my Son; this day I have begotten you?
Or again:
I will be a father to him, and he shall be a Son to me?
And again, when he leads the first born into the world, he says:
Let all the angels of God worship him.
Responsorial PsalmPS 97:1 AND 2B, 6 AND 7C, 9R. (see 7c) Let all his angels worship him.
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many isles be glad.
Justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne.
R. Let all his angels worship him.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
and all peoples see his glory.
Let all his angels worship him.
R. Let all his angels worship him.
Because you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth,
exalted far above all gods.
R. Let all his angels worship him.
AlleluiaMK 1:15R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Kingdom of God is at hand:
repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMK 1:14-20After 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 left 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.
MEDITATION 1: BRO SCHWAGER
What is the Gospel of God which Jesus came to preach? The word "gospel" literally means "good news". When a king had good news to deliver to his subjects he sent messengers or heralds throughout the land to make a public announcement - such as the birth of a newborn king or the victory over an invading army or occupied force. God sent his prophets to announce the coming of God's anointed King and Messiah. After Jesus was baptized in the River Jordan and anointed by the Spirit he begins his ministry of preaching the Gospel - the good news that the kingdom of God was now at hand for all who were ready to receive it.
God rules over all
What is the kingdom of God? The word "kingdom" means something more than a territory or an area of land. It literally means "sovereignty" or "reign" and the power to "rule" and exercise authority. The prophets announced that God would establish a kingdom not just for one nation or people but for the whole world. The Scriptures tell us that God's throne is in heaven and his rule is over all (Psalm 103:19). His kingdom is bigger and more powerful than anything we can imagine because it is universal and everlasting (Daniel 4:3). His kingdom is full of glory, power, and splendor (Psalm 145:11-13).
In the Book of Daniel we are told that this kingdom is given to the Son of Man (Daniel 7:14,18,22,27). The Son of Man is a Messianic title for God's anointed King. The New Testament word for "Messiah" is "Christ" which literally means the "Anointed One" or the "Anointed King". God sent us his Son not to establish an earthly kingdom but to bring us into his heavenly kingdom - a kingdom ruled by truth, justice, peace, and holiness. The kingdom of God is the central theme of Jesus' mission. It's the core of his gospel message.
As soon as John the Baptist had finished his testimony, Jesus began his in Galilee, his home district. John's enemies had sought to silence him, but the gospel cannot be silenced. Jesus proclaimed that the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Jesus takes up John's message of repentance and calls disciples to believe in the gospel - the good news he has come to deliver. What is the good news which Jesus delivers? It is the good news of peace (restoration of relationship with God - Ephesians 6:15), of hope (the hope of heaven and everlasting life - Colossians 1:23 ), of truth (God's word is true and reliable - Colossians 1:5), of promise (he rewards those who seek him - Ephesians 3:6)), of immortality (God gives everlasting life - 2 Timothy 1:10), and the good news of salvation (liberty from sin and freedom to live as sons and daughters of God - Ephesians 1:13).
Two conditions for the kingdom - repent and believe
How do we enter the kingdom of God? In announcing the good news, Jesus gave two explicit things each of us must do to in order to receive the kingdom of God: repent and believe. When we submit to Christ's rule in our lives and believe the gospel message the Lord Jesus gives us the grace and power to live a new way of life as citizens of his kingdom. He gives us grace to renounce the kingdom of darkness ruled by sin and Satan, the father of lies (John 8:44) and the ruler of this present world (John 12:31). That is why repentance is the first step.
Repentance means to change - to change my way of thinking, my attitude, disposition, and life choices so that Christ can be the Lord and Master of my heart rather than sin, selfishness, and greed. If we are only sorry for the consequences of our sins, we will very likely keep repeating the sin that is mastering us. True repentance requires a contrite heart (Psalm 51:17) and sorrow for sin and a firm resolution to avoid it in the future. The Lord Jesus gives us grace to see sin for what it really is - a rejection of his love and wisdom for our lives and a refusal to do what is good and in accord with his will. His grace brings pardon and help for turning away from everything that would keep us from his love and truth.
To believe is to take Jesus at his word and to recognize that God loved us so much that he sent his only begotten Son to free us from bondage to sin and harmful desires. God made the supreme sacrifice of his Son on the cross to bring us back to a relationship of peace and friendship with himself. He is our Father and he wants us to live as his sons and daughters. God loved us first and he invites us in love to surrender our lives to him. Do you believe that the gospel -the good news of Jesus - has power to free you from bondage to sin and fear?
Like fishermen - we are called to gather in people for the kingdom of Christ
When Jesus preached the gospel message he called others to follow as his disciples and he gave them a mission - "to catch people for the kingdom of God." What kind of disciples did he choose? Smelly fishermen! In the choice of the first apostles we see a characteristic feature of Jesus' work: he chose very ordinary people. They were non-professionals, had no wealth or position. They were chosen from the common people who did ordinary things, had no special education, and no social advantages. Jesus wanted ordinary people who could take an assignment and do it extraordinarily well. He chose these individuals, not for what they were, but for what they would be capable of becoming under his direction and power.
When the Lord calls us to serve, we must not think we have nothing to offer. The Lord takes what ordinary people, like us, can offer and uses it for greatness in his kingdom. Do you believe that God wants to work in and through you for his glory?
Jesus speaks the same message to us today: we will "catch people" for the kingdom of God if we allow the light of Jesus Christ to shine through us. God wants others to see the light of Christ in us in the way we live, speak, and witness the joy of the gospel. Paul the Apostles says, But thanks be to God, who in Christ Jesus always leads us in triumph, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing (2 Corinthians 2:15). Do you witness to those around you the joy of the Gospel and do you pray for your neighbors, co-workers, and relatives that they may come to know the Lord Jesus Christ and grow in the knowledge of his love?
"Lord Jesus, you have called me personally by name, just as you called your first disciples, Simon, Andrew, James, and John. Help me to believe your word and follow you faithfully. Fill me with the joy of the gospel that your light may shine through me to many others."
MEDITATION 2: FR. ALFONSE
Mark 1:14-20 Following The Lord
As Jesus 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 left their nets and followed him. When I read today’s Gospel passage, I am reminded of my own vocation. I never thought I would be a priest. Never! Never. I grew up in a Catholic family but religion was not something that was forced down our throats. Rather, getting a good education was. Growing up in upstate New York, my dad always reminded me of the importance of getting a good education. He appreciated what a good education had done for him. It made life easier. He was the only child in his family that went to college and earned a Ph.D. He earned his doctorate in Jurisprudence. Now I have to admit, I wasn’t really interested in getting an education. I was more interested in making money. So, when it came to choosing a major, I chose the most marketable one around: Imaging Science. It paid off, and before I even graduated from R.I.T. with a B.S. degree in Imaging Science, I landed a job with the Eastman Kodak Company. I was considered a “lucky” guy by many. After all, “if you got a job with Kodak, then you had a job for life”. How funny! But when I found out that I could make even more money with a Master of Science degree, I went to work on it and earned my M.S. in the same field of study. It seemed to take forever to complete my thesis: “A Computer Simulation of an Electrophotographic Halftone Device.” [Remember FORTRAN and SLAM?], but I did. And after spending nearly every night for a year on it, I finally defended it in front of professors in my own department and in other scientific disciplines. Now that my life was set I was ready to have some fun. I earned it. But it was at this moment that my life turned right-side up. I began to date a young lady who was not a Catholic but a very committed Christian. She loved Jesus Christ and she wanted to share her faith in Him with me. I wanted nothing to do with it. I thought it was great that she was a Christian (she had great morals), but I didn’t share in her zeal or passion for God or Church. After all, I was pretty sure that all religions were the same and that they were all superstition. So while she was busy trying to convert me, I got to work trying to convert her; that is, make her see religion the way I saw it: as nonsense. What better way to accomplish my mission than to use my own Church’s beliefs and tear them apart. But I was shocked at what I found. I was shocked because I discovered how wrong I was. I thought I would find a bunch of superstitious nonsense; instead, I found out that I was the “superstitious” one, for what I thought the Church believed in was not at all what the Church believed in. Finally, I came to realize the questions I had were not original at all. In fact, they had been asked many years ago. And I was surprised to learn that many of my questions had been asked before and answered long ago. Not too long after discovering my faith, I began to change my life. I am so glad that I did. My job would no longer be my life. My beliefs would no longer be in manmade documents. My security would no longer be in my job. Rather, my life would be in God’s hands. His commandments would be my code of conduct and my security would be in following Him. I hate repeating myself, but in the past I have said that most people are followers, very few are leaders. Most people are “regurgitaters”, very few are thinkers. So, the questions I asked myself were simple and straightforward: Who do you wish to follow? Who do you wish to model your life after? Who do you wish to quote? Who do you wish to be like? Men or God? How about both? How about the God-Man: Jesus Christ.I did. And I have never looked back for I have never found someone superior in character, in words, in deeds, in values, in moral, in principles, in conduct, in strength, in courage, in determination, in perseverance, in fortitude, in compassion, in mercy, in truth, in justice, and in love than the Lord.It was at that moment that I saw the world (including myself) as it truly is: upside down (or fallen). When I changed my life, all I really did was to stop standing on my head. When we stand on our head we chase after the wrong things in life. But every time we chase after the important things in life we begin to stand on our feet. Yes, it’s the same world, but from a different perspective. The former causes a lot of headaches. The latter does not. Let’s follow the Lord. Let’s leave our things and follow Him.
Monday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1HEB 1:1-6Brothers and sisters:
In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways
to our ancestors through the prophets;
in these last days, he spoke to us through the Son,
whom he made heir of all things
and through whom he created the universe,
who is the refulgence of his glory,
the very imprint of his being,
and who sustains all things by his mighty word.
When he had accomplished purification from sins,
he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
as far superior to the angels
as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
For to which of the angels did God ever say:
You are my Son; this day I have begotten you?
Or again:
I will be a father to him, and he shall be a Son to me?
And again, when he leads the first born into the world, he says:
Let all the angels of God worship him.
Responsorial PsalmPS 97:1 AND 2B, 6 AND 7C, 9R. (see 7c) Let all his angels worship him.
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many isles be glad.
Justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne.
R. Let all his angels worship him.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
and all peoples see his glory.
Let all his angels worship him.
R. Let all his angels worship him.
Because you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth,
exalted far above all gods.
R. Let all his angels worship him.
AlleluiaMK 1:15R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Kingdom of God is at hand:
repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMK 1:14-20After 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 left 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.
MEDITATION 1: BRO SCHWAGER
What is the Gospel of God which Jesus came to preach? The word "gospel" literally means "good news". When a king had good news to deliver to his subjects he sent messengers or heralds throughout the land to make a public announcement - such as the birth of a newborn king or the victory over an invading army or occupied force. God sent his prophets to announce the coming of God's anointed King and Messiah. After Jesus was baptized in the River Jordan and anointed by the Spirit he begins his ministry of preaching the Gospel - the good news that the kingdom of God was now at hand for all who were ready to receive it.
God rules over all
What is the kingdom of God? The word "kingdom" means something more than a territory or an area of land. It literally means "sovereignty" or "reign" and the power to "rule" and exercise authority. The prophets announced that God would establish a kingdom not just for one nation or people but for the whole world. The Scriptures tell us that God's throne is in heaven and his rule is over all (Psalm 103:19). His kingdom is bigger and more powerful than anything we can imagine because it is universal and everlasting (Daniel 4:3). His kingdom is full of glory, power, and splendor (Psalm 145:11-13).
In the Book of Daniel we are told that this kingdom is given to the Son of Man (Daniel 7:14,18,22,27). The Son of Man is a Messianic title for God's anointed King. The New Testament word for "Messiah" is "Christ" which literally means the "Anointed One" or the "Anointed King". God sent us his Son not to establish an earthly kingdom but to bring us into his heavenly kingdom - a kingdom ruled by truth, justice, peace, and holiness. The kingdom of God is the central theme of Jesus' mission. It's the core of his gospel message.
As soon as John the Baptist had finished his testimony, Jesus began his in Galilee, his home district. John's enemies had sought to silence him, but the gospel cannot be silenced. Jesus proclaimed that the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Jesus takes up John's message of repentance and calls disciples to believe in the gospel - the good news he has come to deliver. What is the good news which Jesus delivers? It is the good news of peace (restoration of relationship with God - Ephesians 6:15), of hope (the hope of heaven and everlasting life - Colossians 1:23 ), of truth (God's word is true and reliable - Colossians 1:5), of promise (he rewards those who seek him - Ephesians 3:6)), of immortality (God gives everlasting life - 2 Timothy 1:10), and the good news of salvation (liberty from sin and freedom to live as sons and daughters of God - Ephesians 1:13).
Two conditions for the kingdom - repent and believe
How do we enter the kingdom of God? In announcing the good news, Jesus gave two explicit things each of us must do to in order to receive the kingdom of God: repent and believe. When we submit to Christ's rule in our lives and believe the gospel message the Lord Jesus gives us the grace and power to live a new way of life as citizens of his kingdom. He gives us grace to renounce the kingdom of darkness ruled by sin and Satan, the father of lies (John 8:44) and the ruler of this present world (John 12:31). That is why repentance is the first step.
Repentance means to change - to change my way of thinking, my attitude, disposition, and life choices so that Christ can be the Lord and Master of my heart rather than sin, selfishness, and greed. If we are only sorry for the consequences of our sins, we will very likely keep repeating the sin that is mastering us. True repentance requires a contrite heart (Psalm 51:17) and sorrow for sin and a firm resolution to avoid it in the future. The Lord Jesus gives us grace to see sin for what it really is - a rejection of his love and wisdom for our lives and a refusal to do what is good and in accord with his will. His grace brings pardon and help for turning away from everything that would keep us from his love and truth.
To believe is to take Jesus at his word and to recognize that God loved us so much that he sent his only begotten Son to free us from bondage to sin and harmful desires. God made the supreme sacrifice of his Son on the cross to bring us back to a relationship of peace and friendship with himself. He is our Father and he wants us to live as his sons and daughters. God loved us first and he invites us in love to surrender our lives to him. Do you believe that the gospel -the good news of Jesus - has power to free you from bondage to sin and fear?
Like fishermen - we are called to gather in people for the kingdom of Christ
When Jesus preached the gospel message he called others to follow as his disciples and he gave them a mission - "to catch people for the kingdom of God." What kind of disciples did he choose? Smelly fishermen! In the choice of the first apostles we see a characteristic feature of Jesus' work: he chose very ordinary people. They were non-professionals, had no wealth or position. They were chosen from the common people who did ordinary things, had no special education, and no social advantages. Jesus wanted ordinary people who could take an assignment and do it extraordinarily well. He chose these individuals, not for what they were, but for what they would be capable of becoming under his direction and power.
When the Lord calls us to serve, we must not think we have nothing to offer. The Lord takes what ordinary people, like us, can offer and uses it for greatness in his kingdom. Do you believe that God wants to work in and through you for his glory?
Jesus speaks the same message to us today: we will "catch people" for the kingdom of God if we allow the light of Jesus Christ to shine through us. God wants others to see the light of Christ in us in the way we live, speak, and witness the joy of the gospel. Paul the Apostles says, But thanks be to God, who in Christ Jesus always leads us in triumph, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing (2 Corinthians 2:15). Do you witness to those around you the joy of the Gospel and do you pray for your neighbors, co-workers, and relatives that they may come to know the Lord Jesus Christ and grow in the knowledge of his love?
"Lord Jesus, you have called me personally by name, just as you called your first disciples, Simon, Andrew, James, and John. Help me to believe your word and follow you faithfully. Fill me with the joy of the gospel that your light may shine through me to many others."
MEDITATION 2: FR. ALFONSE
Mark 1:14-20 Following The Lord
As Jesus 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 left their nets and followed him. When I read today’s Gospel passage, I am reminded of my own vocation. I never thought I would be a priest. Never! Never. I grew up in a Catholic family but religion was not something that was forced down our throats. Rather, getting a good education was. Growing up in upstate New York, my dad always reminded me of the importance of getting a good education. He appreciated what a good education had done for him. It made life easier. He was the only child in his family that went to college and earned a Ph.D. He earned his doctorate in Jurisprudence. Now I have to admit, I wasn’t really interested in getting an education. I was more interested in making money. So, when it came to choosing a major, I chose the most marketable one around: Imaging Science. It paid off, and before I even graduated from R.I.T. with a B.S. degree in Imaging Science, I landed a job with the Eastman Kodak Company. I was considered a “lucky” guy by many. After all, “if you got a job with Kodak, then you had a job for life”. How funny! But when I found out that I could make even more money with a Master of Science degree, I went to work on it and earned my M.S. in the same field of study. It seemed to take forever to complete my thesis: “A Computer Simulation of an Electrophotographic Halftone Device.” [Remember FORTRAN and SLAM?], but I did. And after spending nearly every night for a year on it, I finally defended it in front of professors in my own department and in other scientific disciplines. Now that my life was set I was ready to have some fun. I earned it. But it was at this moment that my life turned right-side up. I began to date a young lady who was not a Catholic but a very committed Christian. She loved Jesus Christ and she wanted to share her faith in Him with me. I wanted nothing to do with it. I thought it was great that she was a Christian (she had great morals), but I didn’t share in her zeal or passion for God or Church. After all, I was pretty sure that all religions were the same and that they were all superstition. So while she was busy trying to convert me, I got to work trying to convert her; that is, make her see religion the way I saw it: as nonsense. What better way to accomplish my mission than to use my own Church’s beliefs and tear them apart. But I was shocked at what I found. I was shocked because I discovered how wrong I was. I thought I would find a bunch of superstitious nonsense; instead, I found out that I was the “superstitious” one, for what I thought the Church believed in was not at all what the Church believed in. Finally, I came to realize the questions I had were not original at all. In fact, they had been asked many years ago. And I was surprised to learn that many of my questions had been asked before and answered long ago. Not too long after discovering my faith, I began to change my life. I am so glad that I did. My job would no longer be my life. My beliefs would no longer be in manmade documents. My security would no longer be in my job. Rather, my life would be in God’s hands. His commandments would be my code of conduct and my security would be in following Him. I hate repeating myself, but in the past I have said that most people are followers, very few are leaders. Most people are “regurgitaters”, very few are thinkers. So, the questions I asked myself were simple and straightforward: Who do you wish to follow? Who do you wish to model your life after? Who do you wish to quote? Who do you wish to be like? Men or God? How about both? How about the God-Man: Jesus Christ.I did. And I have never looked back for I have never found someone superior in character, in words, in deeds, in values, in moral, in principles, in conduct, in strength, in courage, in determination, in perseverance, in fortitude, in compassion, in mercy, in truth, in justice, and in love than the Lord.It was at that moment that I saw the world (including myself) as it truly is: upside down (or fallen). When I changed my life, all I really did was to stop standing on my head. When we stand on our head we chase after the wrong things in life. But every time we chase after the important things in life we begin to stand on our feet. Yes, it’s the same world, but from a different perspective. The former causes a lot of headaches. The latter does not. Let’s follow the Lord. Let’s leave our things and follow Him.