Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today's Mass Readings

In continuation with last week’s readings, we have even more call stories in this week’s readings. The difference is that this week the purpose of the call is more defined. Jonah is called to go to Nineveh and preach repentance. Jesus himself came proclaiming, “This is the time of fulfilment. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel” (Mk 1:15). Lateer when Jesus sent his disciples out to preach, he would send them with the same message that he himself proclaimed (Lk 10:9). First, however, a few words about Jonah. Jonah is called by God to go to Nineveh and preach repentance. The funny thing is that Jonah boards the first available ship, only to head out in the opposite direction to Tarshish. His reason is simple. The Ninevites were Israel’s mortal enemies. Jonah was perhaps not only scared of the Ninevites but he was also equally cautious of God’s call to repentance for them. Johan did not want the Ninevites to repent, but that in their sin they are destroyed by God. One storm and three days in a whale’s belly later Jonah actually sets out to Nineveh. There he proclaims this message: “Forty days more and Nineveh will be destroyed.” Surprisingly, the people of Nineveh repent and god changes His mind about destroying Nineveh. Jonah is mad because the people repented and God had spared Nineveh.

The gospel reading gives us a clear message that Jesus wants us to proclaim. Jesus begins his ministry with the words “The kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel.” He called his disciples and unlike Jonah, they abandoned everything and followed him.

Jesus Kingdom is a Kingdom of acceptance, love, healing, self-giving, compassion, forgiveness, mercy, justice, and peace. God calls each of us like he called Jonah and the disciples, both to witness to and preach repentance and faith; repentance from rejection and faith in acceptance of one another; repentance from hatred and faith in love of those who are different; repentance from revenge and faith in compassion, forgiveness and love; repentance from violence and war toward faith in reconciliation and peace; repentance from a culture of death and faith in the culture of life. This is the common call of the Kingdom of God.

Jesus who called the disciples is calling us again today. Can we dare to leave everything and hear that call? Can we leave our boats and nets and follow? It would be better than being swallowed by a whale.

- Fr. Satish Joseph