Reflection for January 10, Monday of the First Week in Ordinary Time: Mark 1:14-20

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 left 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.

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Reflection:

There’s a saying that death is like a thief in the night it comes to us when we least expect it. What if for example death surprisingly visits us tonight? What would happen to our soul? Where would we end up? We don’t know when death will come to us, we don’t also know what will happen to us and where would we be. Only God with His infinite wisdom knows about it.  

In the gospel Jesus calls for repentance and belief in His gospel message. What is the relationship of death to Jesus call of repentance and fidelity to the gospel? Since death is unpredictable Jesus prepares us for this eventuality anytime by calling for our repentance and belief in His gospel message. 

This call of repentance of Jesus is not a once in a lifetime call. This is a lifetime call of Jesus for us. He calls us to repentance for as long as we live. For He knows all about our sinfulness; even the sin/s that nobody knows except us, Jesus knows about it also! 

What if we don’t heed this call of repentance of Jesus? We then continue to sin we continue to allow the devil to get hold of us and this is very frightening! For the devil will not bring us any good, we may enjoy the enticements of the devil for a period of time. However, time will come that it will eventually destroy us.  

Therefore, we must listen to this call of repentance of Jesus and we must also read, live and believe His gospel message. Our life will turn for the better the moment we decide to repent and embrace the gospel message of Jesus. 

If you listen to Jesus’ call and leave behind whatever sins that you have committed. You will begin to live a new life, a new life with peace, a new life with contentment and a new life of hope in the Lord.  

Are you willing to repent and embrace Jesus’ gospel message?  -  Marino J. Dasmarinas