1st Reading – Jonah 3:1-5, 10

The word of the LORD came to Jonah, saying:
“Set out for the great city of Nineveh,
and announce to it the message that I will tell you.”
So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh,
according to the LORD’s bidding.
Now Nineveh was an enormously large city;
it took three days to go through it.
Jonah began his journey through the city,
and had gone but a single day’s walk announcing,
“Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,”
when the people of Nineveh believed God;
they proclaimed a fast
and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth.

When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way,
he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them;
he did not carry it out.

The book of Jonah is unique among prophetic literature due to its brevity and its focus on storytelling rather than the prophet’s message.

As with other books of the Bible, such as Ruth and Job, the emphasis of the book of Jonah is not historical accuracy but the meaningful lessons conveyed through the narrative.

Our reading for today tells of Jonah’s renewed mission after his famous encounter with the great fish.

The word of the LORD came to Jonah,

A technical phrase that identifies Jonah as a prophet sent by God.

saying: “Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce to it the message that I will tell you.” So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh, according to the LORD’s bidding.

God’s prophets are usually dispatched to Israel, but in this case, it is Nineveh, the capital of Assyria.

Assyria was a powerful and often hostile neighbor to Israel. Its capital was renowned throughout the ancient Near East for its brutality. It was the Ninevites who had conquered the ten northern tribes of Israel.

It is surprising that Jonah would be dispatched to this disdainful city to pronounce judgment and retribution.

Now Nineveh was an enormously large city; it took three days to go through it.

The uncommon size of Nineveh emphasizes the magnitude of the task.

Jonah began his journey through the city, and had gone but a single day’s walk announcing, “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,”

The number forty holds symbolic significance in the Bible, often representing a period of testing, trial, preparation, or repentance. For example, in the Old Testament, Moses spent forty days on Mount Sinai receiving the Law (Exodus 24:18), and the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years. In the New Testament, Jesus fasted for forty days in the desert (Matthew 4:2).

This period of forty days also serves as a gracious extension of God’s mercy, allowing the Ninevites time to reflect, change their ways, and seek forgiveness.

Jonah’s message is brief but powerful: there are no long speeches or oracles of doom.

when the people of Nineveh believed God; 

In a shocking turn of events, a city known for its wickedness heeds this unpretentious prophet from an insignificant nation, and without delay.

Notice how little Jonah has actually done: he went partway into the city and made a one-sentence proclamation, and the people converted. The success of this mission is clearly God’s doing and not dependent on Jonah himself.

they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth.

Notice how the Ninevites themselves, not the prophet, proclaim a fast for repentance. Notice also their comprehensive response: the entire community puts on the garments of penance, from the greatest to the least. The unity in their repentance emphasizes the gravity of the situation and the sincerity of their desire to repent.

This development is quite amazing; it is a profound demonstration of God’s graciousness and the transformative power of his word. Even the worst sinners can repent and be made new.

When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out.

When God sees that the people of Nineveh have had a genuine change of heart, he revokes his decision to punish them.

Perhaps the most startling aspect of this story is God’s concern with the salvation of a nation that is an enemy of Israel, which illustrates the universal scope of divine mercy. God’s compassion extends beyond national boundaries; his purposes transcend human divisions.

2nd Reading – 1 Corinthians 7:29-31

I tell you, brothers and sisters, the time is running out.
From now on, let those having wives act as not having them,
those weeping as not weeping,
those rejoicing as not rejoicing,
those buying as not owning,
those using the world as not using it fully.
For the world in its present form is passing away.

Paul and the other apostles frequently taught about the shortness of life (Romans 13:11-14, 2 Peter 3:8, 1 John 2:15-17), encouraging us to make the very best use of our time to serve God and others.

I tell you, brothers and sisters, the time is running out.

Paul is teaching about the end-time. Unlike what we regularly think of as the unfolding of time (chrónos), this is a different notion of time (kairós), a time of great theological significance. It refers to decisive moments, those that are ordained by God, those that mark the inbreaking of God’s action. It is frequently the time of fulfillment, of divine intervention.

From now on, let those having wives act as not having them, 

Paul is suggesting that kairós is fast approaching but has not yet arrived. However, he advises Christians to live as though it had already come.

Because in many ways kairós is “time out of time,” it calls for a manner of living and acting that in ordinary circumstances might appear eccentric. It’s not that the customary demands of life are to be scorned; this unusual manner of living is a way of responding to the singular character of kairós.

The exclusively male reference to act as not having wives may reflect an earlier belief that the man was the active partner in procreation. The men are exhorted to refrain from sexual activity, similar to the restraint imposed upon them during military service. Like a period of military action, customary living must be set aside in kairós time for another pressing responsibility.

those weeping as not weeping, those rejoicing as not rejoicing, 

Weeping and rejoicing are normal reactions to the events of life. Because the values and aspirations of the age to come differ from those of this age, our reactions will be different as well. What ordinarily makes us cry may not elicit the same response in the kairós future; what normally brings us pleasure may cease to have the same effect.

those buying as not owning, those using the world as not using it fully.

The insecurity of material possessions will become so evident that we will recognize the futility of acquiring more. We will indeed deal with this world as though not dealing with it.

For the world in its present form is passing away.

Paul’s basic message is that Christians must remain detached from this world. Time is running out and the world as they know it is passing away. He wants them to be ready for Christ’s return.

“Note that Paul says that the form of this world is passing away, not the substance of it. Therefore if the form of the world is going to perish, there is no doubt that everything in the world will vanish. It will all pass away. Every day the world gets older.” [The Ambrosiaster (between 366-384 AD), Commentaries on Thirteen Pauline Epistles]

Gospel – Mark 1:14-20

After John had been arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:
“This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

As he passed by the Sea of Galilee,
he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea;
they were fishermen.
Jesus said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Then they abandoned their nets and followed him.
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.
Then he called them.
So they left their father Zebedee in the boat
along with the hired men and followed him.

Today we begin a continuous reading of Mark’s gospel that will last until Lent begins. (Recall that in Cycle B of the Lectionary, most of the Gospel readings are taken from Mark.)

Saint Mark’s gospel is the most concise of all the gospels. It prioritizes the exploration of the enigmatic nature of Jesus rather than his teachings. Mark’s narrative lays out a paradox: Jesus is acknowledged as the Son of God by the Father and by evil spirits, yet he is rejected by the Jewish leadership and is even misunderstood by his own disciples.

As with last week, today we again hear an account of Jesus gathering followers to be his disciples.

After John had been arrested,

John’s arrest foreshadows the conflict and opposition that Jesus will face from religious and political authorities. The verb Mark uses here can also be translated as “handed over”; he will use the same verb to describe Jesus’ passion and death.

Mentioning John’s arrest may have also been intended to underscore the danger in challenging the status quo in Judea in this particular place and time.

Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:

With John the Baptist imprisoned, Jesus steps into the forefront, signaling the beginning of his public ministry.

As we will see, Jesus’ message was startling.

“This is the time of fulfillment.

The Greek word used here for “time” is kairós, the same word Paul used in our second reading. This is a decisive moment, ordained by God.

The kingdom of God is at hand. 

The “kingdom of God” is a central theme in Jesus’ teaching. Its significance can be understood in three major ways:

1. Divine Rule and Sovereignty: The “kingdom of God” refers to the reign, rule, and sovereignty of God over all creation. In this sense, it is a spiritual kingdom ruled by God himself.
2. Eschatological Kingdom: Jesus often speaks of God’s kingdom in an eschatological context, pointing to a future in which God’s ultimate and final reign will be fully realized at the end of time.
3. Present Reality and Presence of God: Jesus also teaches that the kingdom of God is a present reality. It is not only a future hope but a spiritual reality that is already breaking into the present. Jesus’ presence on earth brings the reality of God’s kingdom into the world.

Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

Like the prophets of old, Jesus calls for repentance. The Greek word for repentance is metánoia: a change of heart, a return to God.

“One who desires the kernel breaks the nut. So one who desires the joy of a holy conscience swallows down the bitterness of penance” (St. Jerome, Commentary on the Gospels).

As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen.

The narrative pivots to the call of the fishermen Simon, Andrew, James, and John to be Jesus’ disciples. Fishing was a major industry on the Sea of Galilee.

Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

Unlike other famous rabbis and Greek teachers, Jesus calls his followers not only to learn from him but to also work alongside him.

Then they abandoned their nets and followed him.

The immediate response of abandoning their livelihood illustrates the radical nature of their decision to follow Jesus. Their response requires no contemplation or study, they simply obey.

“It has been demonstrated to us in Scripture that any too dear relations, crafts, and trades are to be quite left behind for the Lord’s sake” [Tertullian (211 AD), On Idolatry 12].

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. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.

Once again we see Jesus calling fishermen while they are occupied with their work and once again the response is immediate. Jesus’ call is compelling if nothing else.

The fact that James and John left their father was unusual in the context of traditional Jewish family structures and societal expectations. In Jewish society, the family unit, especially the relationship between a son and his father, held significant importance. The concept of honoring one’s parents was deeply ingrained in Jewish culture, and abandoning one’s father was considered a violation of a fundamental kinship relationship.

Encountering Jesus and accepting his call was clearly a transformative experience.

“For James and John, called by the Lord, immediately leave quite behind both father and ship. Matthew is roused from the toll-booth. Even burying a father was too tardy a business for faith! None of those whom the Lord chose to Him said, ‘I have no means to live’” [Tertullian (211 AD), On Idolatry 12].

“There must have been something divinely compelling in the face of the Savior. Otherwise they would not have acted so irrationally as to follow a man whom they had never seen before. Does one leave a father and follow a man in whom he sees nothing more than he sees in his father? They left their father of the flesh to follow the Father of the spirit.” [Saint Jerome (ca. 400 AD), Homily 83].

Connections and Themes

This particular period of Ordinary Time is really an interlude between seasons. Christmas is behind us and in a few short weeks, Lent will begin.

During this time, the readings invite us to reflect on various aspects of discipleship. Today we reflect on the first and most important responsibility of discipleship: evangelization.

Evangelization. The story of Jonah’s prophetic mission to Nineveh shows us that God’s message is not limited by cultural, geographical, or ethnic boundaries. The repentance of the Ninevites, even in the face of their historical hostility towards Israel, highlights the profound truth that God’s salvation extends to all people, regardless of their background or past.

Today’s readings also show that it seems to make little difference who delivers the good news of the gospel. Jesus calls ordinary fishermen to be his disciples and participate in his divine mission, demonstrating that the transformative power of the gospel is not confined to the eloquent or the influential. Further, the effectiveness of evangelization lies not in the status of the messenger but in the divine message itself.

This challenges us to recognize that we, too, are called to be messengers of the gospel, irrespective of our perceived limitations or social standing. In fact, the richness of God’s salvation is made manifest through the diversity of those who proclaim it.

Repentance. The good news of the gospel is inseparable from a call to repentance. Repentance is not merely a moral correction but a profound change of heart and mind, an essential response to the imminent presence of God’s reign. The calls for repentance by both Jonah and Jesus are invitations to turn away from self-centered pursuits and embrace a transformative journey toward God. Paul reinforces this notion in the second reading by urging us to align our lives with the eternal values of God’s kingdom.

Like the disciples Jesus called, we must leave the familiarity of our previous lifestyle and follow the call we have heard in the depth of our hearts.

Urgency in acceptance. The readings also carry an imperative to accept the gospel right away: now is the time. In the Gospel reading, Jesus urgently proclaims the nearness of the kingdom, prompting a swift response to the divine call. Jonah’s message from God to the Ninevites carries a rousing sense of immediacy, to which the people responded with prompt and wholehearted repentance. Urgency permeates the second reading, where Paul encourages us to live with detachment from worldly concerns because the world in its present form is passing away.

Now is the time to fully embrace the gospel. Otherwise, we may run out of time. Having been called by God, we now live our lives differently, guided by the reign of God rather than by the world that is passing away.