HOMILY FOR 3RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR B
THEME: The Lord calls you by your Name.
BY: Fr Eugene Toochi.
Reading Texts: Jonah 3:1-5;10
2nd Reading 1Cor: 7:29-31
Gospel Mark 1:14-20
Beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord, it is a beautiful day again made by the Lord. The 3rd Sunday in the ordinary time. Last Sunday I discussed about bearing witness for Christ. But today I wish us to reflect on the theme, the Lord is calling you by your name.
The 1st reading tells us of God’s message through Prophet Jonah to the Ninevites. Nineveh was a very massive city of the Gentile world, the capital of Assyria. At several times they conquered and colonised Judah, looted and destroyed the temple and carried able-bodied men into exile.This great city was populated by heathens, a centre of godlessness and yet it was so properous.
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Their prosperity amist godlessness stirred in a typical Jews to grief, wondering why God has left them to be favoured like that. Some even complained, like the people during the prophetic era of Mal:3-13-18.
Jonah, just like every other Jews hated Nineveh so much, and the destruction of Nineveh would have been for him a thing of Joy.
What were the Sins of the Ninevites?
Though it was not listed in the Bible but it is not difficult to infer, just like the typical people of our time. .
1. Oppression of other nations
2. Sexual immorality and irresponsibility
3. Injustice and oppression of the poor, the needy and the defenceless
4. Paganic culture and idolatry.
God could not tolerate these wickedness of them and sent His prophet to preach to them. Imagine what happened? They believed and repented. They never tried to harass the prophet, never doubted the authenticity of his message, never procastinated and their prosperity never blindfolded them or harden their hearts but instead they repented and belived in God.
The Bible recorded that, God saw that they have had a metanoia from their sins and evil ways of life and withdrew the intended wrath on them. God was impressed by their immediate repentance. Can we today think of anything that we can do to impress God?
There are three consequences that sin brings.
1. Immediate pleasures
2. Subsequent sorrow
3. Eternal suffering
The Lord calls the Ninevites toady and is calling you to change and quit your bad ways of life before pleasures graduates to sorrow and subsequently to sufferings.
In the Gospel periscope of today, Jesus called His first four disciples, in these four men, we see that every call demands that we leave something to answer it. Andrew and Simon left their nets and James and John left their fathers to follow Christ. What are you leaving today for the sake of His Kingdom?
These are four things Christ seek from you to leave and follow him
1. Every sinful association
2. Sinful relationship
3. Unchristian life style
4. Every culture and tradition of paganism.
In our daily lifestyle, when we make effort to collaborate with the grace of God, it will become even more easier to answer the call of Christ in which he calls you and I today. May God bless us even as His word takes flesh in us. Amen.
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