Today's Gospel - January 22, 2011 with Reflection

1^st READING - Jonah 3:1-5, 10

 P S A L M - Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R: Teach me your ways, O Lord.

2^ND READING - 1 Corinthians 7:29-31

GOSPEL 

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel.

 

Mark 1:14-20

14 After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: 15 “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” 16 As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. 17Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will   make you fishers of men.” 18 Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. 19 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. 20Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.

SABBATH

TIME IS GROWING SHORT   Many people in the past and even now have attempted to predict the day when the world will end. This is a pure and utter waste of time and energy. It is more of a distraction than a help to men and women of faith. The Scriptures are quite clear in their statement that only the Father knows the exact day when the world will end. As for us, we should simply live our lives with an appropriate sense of urgency according to the call God has placed upon us. Each of us has one life to live — approximately 80 years if present life expectancy statistics are correct. This means that we have 80 or so years to make our impact on the world and accomplish the task God has set before us. If we fail to do so in those 80 years, then there are no second chances. A close friend of mine believed she had been given a reprieve when she suffered a heart attack at 70. So, she decided that the rest of her life, however long it may be, would be spent in the service of God and His little ones. She devoted her life and ultimately all her earthly resources to Anawim, a home for the abandoned elderly, living with them for the last decade of her life. A few months before she died with her “boots on,” she was orienting the trainees serving at the center. She had exhausted her life’s savings and was probably aware that she had only a little time left. I remember speaking with her before her death and she was as ready to die as anyone I have met — reconciled to the Lord and herself as regards the way she had lived her life. She lived every day as though it was her last. This is what it means to live with the correct sense of urgency as to when the world will end. For all intents and purposes, our earthly existence and the existence of the world ends with our death. In this sense, we will all witness the end of the world when we die. Let us make our lives worth something to the Kingdom of God by seeking God’s will and living it as best we can in our lives. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL   REFLECTION QUESTION: Are you worried about predictions of the world’s end? I hope not! Our earthly existence is a passing reality — let us make the most of it.   Jesus, open my heart to Your call so that I may live and do what You want me to do. Help me to give my all in the service of Your Kingdom.