First Reading, A Reading from the prophet Jonah Jon 3:1-15.10

The people of Nineveh renounced their evil behaviour.

The word of the Lord was addressed to Jonah: 'Up!' he said 'Go to Nineveh, the great city, and preach to them as I told you to.' Jonah set out and went to Nineveh in obedience to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was a city great beyond compare: it took three days to cross it. Jonah went on into the city, making a day's journey. he preached inthese words, 'Only forty days more and Nineveh is going to be destroyed.' And the people of Nineveh believed in God; they proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least.
God saw their efforts to renounce their evil behaviour. And God relented: he did not inflict on them the disaster which he had treatened.'
The word of the Lord

Second Reading, A Reading from the letter of St Paul to the Corinthians 1 Cor 7:29-31

The world as we now it is passing away.

Brothers, our time is growing short. Those who have wives should live as though they had none, and those who mourn should live as though they had nothing to mourn for; those who are enjoying life should live as though there were nothing to laugh about; those whose life is buying things should live as though they had nothing of their own; and those who have to deal with the world should not become engrossed in it. I say this because the world as we know it is passing away.
The word of the Lord

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark Mk1:14-20

Repent, and believe the Good News.

After John had been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the Good News from God. 'The time has coe; he said 'and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News.'
As he was walking along by the Sea of 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 into fisher of men.' And at once they left their nets and followed him.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.

HOMILY

Last week in Johns Gospel we had Peter introduced to Jesus and Jesus called him his rock.
Today Peter is introduced to Jesus in a different story, but the point is not the differences but that Peter responded immediately to Jesus to follow him.
Later in their lives and waitings, Peter and the apostles issued the same call for us to follow Jesus.

Fr Terry Bergin PP

 

Following Him

The calling of the brothers in today's Gospel evokes Elisha's commissioning by the prophet Elijah (see 1 Kings 19:19-21).
As Elijah comes upon Elisha working on his family's farm, so Jesus sees the brothers working by the seaside. And as Elisha left his mother and father to follow Elijah, so the brothers leave their father to come after Jesus.
Jesus' promise - to make them "fishers of men" - evokes Israel's deepest hopes. The prophet Jeremiah announced a new exodus in which God would send "many fishermen" to restore the Israelites from exile, as once He brough them out of slavery in Egypt (see Jeremiah 16:14-16).
By Jesus' cross and resurrection, this new exodus has begun (see Luke 9:31). And the apostles are the first of a new people of God, the Church - a new family, based not on blood ties, but on belief in Jesus and a desire to do the Father's will (see John 1:12-13; Matthew 12:46-50).
From now on, even our most important worldly concerns - family relations, occupations, and possessions - must be judged in light of the gospel, Paul says in today's Epistle.
The first word of Jesus' gospel - repent- means we must totally change our way of thinking and living, turning from evil, doing all for the love of God.
And we should be consoled by Nineveh's repentance in today's First Reading. Even the wicked Nineveh could repent at Jonah's preaching. And in Jesus we have a greater than Jonah (see Matthew 12:41). We have God come as our saviour, to show sinners the way, as we sing i today's Psalm. This should give us hope - that loved ones who remain far from God will find compassion if they turn to Him.
But we, too, must continue along the path of repentance - striving daily to pattern our lives after His."