REFLECTION FOR 3RD SUNDAY OF THE ORDINARY TIME, YEAR B [21/1/2018]*

?????? *?FOLLOW ME AND I WILL MAKE YOU FISHERS OF MEN.? AND IMMEDIATELY THEY LEFT THEIR NETS AND FOLLOWED HIM (MARK 1:17,18)*

???Having been led to a better understanding regarding the place of the authority God has given charge as guide in our spiritual journey, following our reflections on last Sunday?s readings, today we are exposed to what is required of us in our answering of God?s call.

??In the first reading, God we are given the experience of Jonah?s call and how his mission went. Here, God sent Jonah to the people of Nineveh, he went to them and preached God?s unadulterated words to them, after his preaching, they repent and God rescinded his anger on them (Jonah 3:1?5, 10). In the second, St Paul cautions all that the time of our salvation is so near and as such we need to live our present days more with its consciousness ?that the form of this present world is soon passing away (1Corinthians 7:29?31). And in the gospel we see Christ choosing his disciples. The gospel passage of today tells us one straight fact ?they left their present concerns and followed him (Mark 1:14?20).

????Beloved, in choosing to follow God in Christ, we are today notified that we need to leave our present concerns. And in leaving these present concerns, today?s readings show us that we would be, in accepting Christ?s call, also be accepting to be commanded by himself alone. It is because of this accepting to be commanded by him that St Paul from an early stage is admonishing us to start living that change we anticipate because the New World is almost at hand.

???The question today?s readings pose for modern day Christians is about whether, in their choosing to answer God?s call to become his children on earth,  they also accepted to leave everything of their old world and embrace the lifestyle of the New World Christ has promised to bring. The problem is that many who accepted to follow Him did not accept to be commanded by Him or to be guided by his commands, rather they accepted Him in the hope that in their accepting to become His children they can now order Him with ease to do their biddings. It is this that accounts for their easy fallout when things go the other way instead of their humanly planned way. It is this also that account for their easy shift from accepting the counsel of the authorities God has given then as Spiritual Director or as the leader of the people of God.

????Having exposed this fact, my beloved friend, I enjoin you this day to re-evaluate your personal option to answer the call to become a child of God in this world. Remind yourself that what it entails is not that you begin to command God but that you be ready to allow yourself to be led by God and His choices alone. Those choices may seem hard and difficult in the face of the different needs and demands of our world today, but surely adhering to them will bring us the greatest of God?s gifts which is his eternal kingdom.

????Let us therefore pray God this day for the grace to truly understand what it means to really answer his call that with such better understanding we might indeed manifest our option to answer his call in such a way that it would win us His blessings here on earth and assure us of a dwelling place in His kingdom after our life here on earth. Amen.

????Happy Sunday beloved friend!