Tuesday in Ordinary Time, Jan.9,2007, Cycle C, Year One

Scripture: Hebrews 1:1-6 and 2:5-12; Psalm 97:1-2,6-7,9 and Psalm 8; Mark
1:14-20 and Mark 1:21-28.

Since we missed the Monday of Ordinary time due to the Feast of the Baptism
of Jesus, the liturgists suggest that we read or keep in mind the content
of the opening of Hebrews and Mark, hence, I have given two sets of
readings above, but will concentrate on Mark's Gospel of the call of Jesus'
first disciples. Mark is a good way to start Ordinary Time for it is he
who gives us the Gospel that begins with the Baptism of Jesus and then
leads us immediately into the active ministry of the Lord. We thus are
forced to leave aside our loving memories of the Infancy Narratives and
enter quickly into the activity of Jesus in Galilee. It enables us to
renew our efforts at a fresh start for the ordinary and practical things we
do in our lives at home, in community, and at the work or ministries
entrusted to us. The liturgy is both practical as well as spiritual,
moreover, we have the daily word of God combined with the Sacrament of the
Eucharist. I always find Mark's first chapter very refreshing and filled
with so many events and details. We must remember he is the Evangelist who
loves to detail his stories about Jesus and who is the journalist among the
Evangelists. One of the priests I know who is a Scripture scholar says he
envsions Mark today as one who would be going around with a video camera
while mouthing into the scenes he captures the words of of Jesus. This
Gospel is so straightforward and clear that it seems to have been written
by Mark as he listened to someone like Peter telling us about Jesus. So we
have one great colossal person (Jesus) being talked about by another great
person (Peter) and then passed on to the recorder and practical theologian
called Mark the Evangelist. Some things just happen in "threes", don't
they? Today we begin with Jesus's first proclamation and activity in
Galilee and more specifically in the synagogue at Nazareth where Jesus is
known as the Nazarene or Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus proclaims the Good News
(Gospel):"This is the time of fulfillment. The reign of God is at hand!
Reform your lives and believe in the good news!" His first action is to
call the core group of four disciples who were fishermen: Peter, Andrew,
James, and John. What an excellent opening for us as we begin this
ordinary time in the liturgy. We too follow Jesus with a renewed and
refreshed effort in the ordinary things that we do. We leave behind our
own worries and even comforts in order to trust in Jesus' divine invitation
to follow him. We place our trust in his summons as we hear our first
names being called. We follow immediately (one of Mark's favorite words).
Then in the ensuing scene of the Gospel we learn that Jesus does have the
great power of love to cast out the demons of all varieties. He teaches us
directly from his heart with a remarkable power that exudes from him
(exousia). All of our ills are cured when we trust inJesus' powerful love.
Now that is not ordinary but extraordinary but it happens in ordinary time.
Amen.