Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Readings

In our first reading today, we are told that Jonah was sent to the city of Nineveh to deliver a message from the Lord to repent of their sins and to return to the Lord. The Lord had threatened to destroy the city if they did not repent. Jonah confronted the people of Nineveh and exposed the evil taking place in the city and the people listened to Jonah and repented and the Lord’s mercy fell upon them.

In our world, we have turned away from God and followed a path of ruin and destruction. We pursue the things of the world that give pleasure to our senses and we ignore the things that give nourishment to the soul. The people of Nineveh practiced every kind of evil and had no fear of God because their hearts had become heartened. They celebrated in their wickedness. Our society has created a culture wherein the human spirit is not uplifted, content, and peaceful, but endlessly seeks ever pleasure believing the end justifies the means. We have created a culture of death wherein human life is no longer sacred and a gift from God. We protest, riot, and destroy over the unjustified death of one person and yet we stand down over the death of millions of unborn children each year.

Will the Lord upon us as He looked upon Nineveh? Will He send a messenger to warn us? God has sent many messengers in our lifetime, including hundreds of apparitions by His mother and the world has not responded. So, what are we to do?

We, as believers, are responsible for our brothers and sisters and their salvation. This is the mission of the Church and the Body of Christ. We must live our lives without attachment to the things of this world and strive in all ways to the things of heaven. Our possessions, our world, our country, are all temporary and passing. Only God remains the same.

We, who are baptized into the Lord’s death with the hope of the resurrection, are called to be fishers of men. We need to claim the souls of all people and to offer up our prayers and good works for the reparation of sins. We are also called to deny ourselves of some of the pleasures of this life and to share some of our abundance with others.

We pray when we may not feel like praying. We reach out to another and risk rejection for the sake of Christ. We continue to love when tempted to react with violence or mean words. We become light in a world filled with darkness. We suffer with patience and always have hope in the resurrection. In a few weeks, during Lent, we will be asked to fast and maintain abstinence from food. Let’s consider applying our Lenten fast and abstinence during the entire year. Let’s consider offering our eucharist for the reparation of sins and the conversion of sinners. Let us pray for our Mother’s intercession for all people in danger of losing their souls by praying the rosary daily.

The Lord said, “follow me”. Let us prepare for the journey and remember those who are not prepared.

May God continue to bless you,

Deacon Phil