Repent

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/012118.cfm) reminds me that I should continue to repent and live right. 

During the Christmas season, a lot prepared spiritually for Christ’s coming. Novena masses were always full. And come new year, a lot made resolutions on improving themselves and their lives. However, sometimes we are quick to forget. After the holidays, when we get back to work and start the year, we forget those things. We forget God. We focus too much on working again. On the things of the world. Today, we are reminded not to forget those things, and remember that one day, we would face God, so we should repent and live right.

In the first reading, we see Jonah sent to the people of Nineveh to tell them to repent, which they did. This caused God to change his mind on the evil intended for them. In the second reading, we are reminded that the world is passing away and we should repent and prepare. And the gospel shows us Jesus directly telling us that God’s kingdom is at hand, and we should repent and believe in the gospel.

We all need to repent and live pleasing to God. 

Everything of this world will pass away. The world will pass. This is why it is important not to forget our souls. It is important to nourish our soul and prepare for our meeting face to face with God. 

May we be reminded to repent and live right, and may we echo the words of the psalmist – Teach me your ways, Lord.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another Sunday. Thank you for the reminder today. Lord, sorry for forgetting you. Sorry for being busy with work and with life that I again forget you. I forget all the preparations I did last Christmas. Lord, help me live right. Give me a humble and repentant heart. Help me see the evil in my life, and help me change my ways. May I have a heart like yours what would hate evil and sin. As I try to repent, help me live right for you. Help me live pleasing for you. Amen.

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,

-g-

January 21, 2018

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 68

Reading 1 JON 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.

Responsorial Psalm PS 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R. (4a) Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your love are from of old.
In your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice
and teaches the humble his way.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.

Reading 11 1 COR 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.

Alleluia MK 1:15

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MK 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.