Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Mk 1:14-20
January 21, 2024

Back in 2019, Pope Francis gave this Third Sunday in Ordinary Time a special name: “Sunday of the Word of God.”

With that title, the spotlight that shines on the Ambo/Table of the Word during EVERY Eucharist intensified. Quite likely, the Holy Father considered the many ways in which Roman Catholics would benefit by highlighting The Living and Eternal Word. But the thing that seems especially relevant in our time is Francis’s point that engaging with Sacred Scriptures has “ecumenical value since the Scriptures point out the path to authentic and firm unity.”

We certainly seem to have strayed from that path! The path that leads to “authentic and firm unity” has been overgrown with fear, mistrust, and selfishness. There is, in fact, division and disharmony in every aspect of our lives…even within our ONE Holy and Catholic Church. So, it is a very good thing to be even more attentive to the Word of God as a way of reminding us that The Creator desires that we live together in the spirit of “authentic and firm unity.”

Our First Reading is from the Book of Jonah. Children, more so than adults, might be familiar with this relatively brief Old Testament Book of a minor prophet. Having a “fairy tale” quality about it, it has been retold at their level and colorfully illustrated numerous times. Adult Christians, on the other hand, might not have read it in its entirety and are only aware of the basic facts.

Reluctant to undertake the mission that God assigned him, Jonah found himself “entombed” in the belly of a whale…sort of an imposed “timeout” to give him an opportunity to reconsider his position.

Although some might well accept this as fact, a marine biologist would probably find it very “hard to swallow.” Still, for the Jewish people, The Book of Jonah is neither childish nor a simple but entertaining fictional work. In fact, the whole text is proclaimed during the High Holy Day Services of Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement, when the entire people, in a spirit of “authentic and firm unity,” come together to acknowledge sin and ask for mercy and forgiveness.

(IT REALLY WOULD BE WORTH YOUR WHILE, AT THIS POINT, TO READ THE ENTIRE BOOK OF JONAH.)

Without a doubt, the call to repentance is the major theme here. However, there are other less obvious, but no less important, lessons to be learned. Having finally been “spit out” by the whale, Jonah resumes the mission. But, he is very half-hearted in dispatching his responsibility One can’t help but wonder what would have happened had he been more aggressive in his efforts to deliver God’s message to a pagan nation. Is it possible that had Jonah embraced his duty with more enthusiasm and commitment, over and above igniting a “communal penance,” there might have been a “mass conversion”?

The formal introduction to the God of Abraham motivated the people of Nineveh to reform. However, had Jonah used the opportunity to move beyond simply warning them and begun to teach them about the will and ways of The Creator, possibly an “authentic and firm unity” between two old enemies might have come about.

Just a thought.

But what is indisputable fact is that, at the appropriate time, God made the effort to call humankind to “authentic and firm unity” in an unrepeatable way; BECOMING THE MESSENGER…as well as THE MESSAGE. Jesus was GOD’S WORD MADE FLESH. By sending The Son into our world, The Creator made certain of an unconditional commitment to the mission, to the point of death on The Cross.

In our Gospel, we hear how Jesus recruited help in order to dispatch the mission for which The Father sent Him into this world. Peter and Andrew, and, in turn, James and John, responded to the invitation to serve without hesitation. And while they didn’t always understand or “get it right,” they were never half-hearted in the work of sharing the Good News. They embraced the call to discipleship with enthusiasm. They echoed Jesus, Who was light on threats and warnings, stressing healing, forgiveness, and peace…the kind of peace that promotes what God wants of us: “authentic and firm unity” in and through Christ.
“Word of God Sunday” is not only a chance to recognize the priceless gift of Sacred Scripture. It is also a good opportunity to take some time to examine how we live out our Baptismal call to discipleship.

Ask yourself: Who do I most resemble? The reluctant prophet, actually turning away from service and moving in another direction? Am I like Jonah, who, even after returning to the task, made a less than enthusiastic effort? Am I resentful of God’s willingness to forgive others?

If you see Jonah looking back at you in the mirror, you might consider a “timeout” in the belly of the whale. If, on the other hand, you react to The Lord’s call with the unconditional response of the four fishermen…then somehow…some way…YOU are helping to bring about “authentic and firm unity” …maybe within your family, or parish, or workplace, or community.

There is so much dividing us these days. But, THE WORD OF GOD has the power to bring us together in Christ Jesus. It’s our job as Christian disciples to broadcast that message!