Monday, January 13, 2003
1st Week in Ordinary Time

1st Reading: Heb 1:1-6
Gospel: Mk 1:14-20

After John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee and began preaching the Good News of God. He said, "The time has come; the kingdom of God is at hand. Change your ways and believe the Good News."

As Jesus was walking along the shore of Lake Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the lake, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fish for people." At once, they left their nets and followed him. Jesus went a little farther on and saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee; they were in their boat mending their nets. Immediately, Jesus called them and they followed him, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men.

Gospel Commentary

Jesus explodes onto the scene in Mark's Gospel with the promise of newness. It was not the announcement of God's kingly rule that was new. After all, the symbol of "the kingdom of God" did not originate with Jesus. Israel had longed for centuries for that decisive saving intervention into history by God. What was new with Jesus was that, while he believed the fullness of that Kingdom was still to come, he also was convinced that in him and through his words and deeds, God was already breaking through into this tired, suffering world with the divine forces of healing and liberation. "This is the time of fulfillment." The Kingdom, dreamed about for ages, had come. Do we dare to believe this Good News?

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