Third Sunday in Ordinary Time-B:

I Reading: Jonah 3:1-5.10: The people of Nineveh renounce their evil behaviour.

II Reading: 1Corinthians 7:29-31: The world as we know it is passing away

Gospel: Mark 1:14-20: Repent, and believe the Good News.

Jesus Christ and His Message: The Good News of God (Mk 1:14-15)

The Good News of the Gospel includes three emphatic points.

1.     Jesus preached the Good News of God (v.14)

a.     In Galilee

b.     After John was put in prison

2.     The time has come (v.15)

3.     The kingdom of God is near (v.15)

4.     Repent and believe

Good News- see for deeper study in 2 Cor 15:1-11; Rom1:1-4

Jesus Christ and His Disciples: The Kind of Persons called (Mk 1:16-20)

Jesus called very simple ordinary men who were engaged in the affairs of  life just like all the laymen of their day. Note that they were not...

Religious leaders

Powerful men, not the political leaders of the nation’s ruling body, the Sanhedrin (Mt 26: 59)

Of the priestly or ministerial profession

Students in the school of higher learning

Having said this, a question need to be asked. Why did Jesus call them instead of calling the more gifted? The answer lies in some very special qualities that the disciples possessed. This passage gives a picture of these qualities, a picture of the kind of person Jesus calls (see for more points Mt 4:18-22).

1.     They were industrious, hard-working men (v.16)

2.     They were visionary men: looking for the Messiah and ready to follow Him (v.17-18)

a.     Their call

b.     Their response: Immediate and costly-gave up their business

3.     They were cooperative men (v.19): working together with father & brothers as grown up. Today all want to work individually and separately.

Jesus wanted unity and community spirit to build up his Church and kingdom of God.

4.     They were successful, but sacrificial, considerate men (v.20): they were considerate men because they did not leave their families alone but with “hired men” to look after their parents and family members.

Thought: Jesus calls a person to a life of work, not to a life of ease and comfort. He calls a person to invest his/her life not waste his/her life.  Few people have a strong vision and mission that they are willing to pay any price to follow Jesus. It is too costly because they give up their business, family and land.

How many would sacrifice their inheritance to follow Jesus Christ today?