Ordinary 3

Ordinary 3
January 22, 2006

by Jude Siciliano, OP

Jonah 3: 1-5, 10
Psalm 25
I Cor 7: 29-31
Mark 1: 14-20

Dear Preachers:

"The word of the Lord came to Jonah...." When you hear an announcement like that, what reaction do you have? Does it send a shiver down your spine and cause you to think, "Oh, oh, this can't be good?" Today's first reading begins with such an announcement and tells of Jonah's's response. He goes to Nineveh, we are told, to preach repentance; the people respond quickly and are spared. But that's the end of the story. There's a lot more to Jonah's preaching experience---remember the "whale?"

The Book of Jonah opens with a line similar to the one that begins today's reading, "This is the word of the Lord that came to Jonah, son of Amittai" (1:1). God orders Jonah to go to Nineveh to preach to them because, "...their wickedness has come up before me" (1:2). What precedes today's passage is Jonah's attempt to avoid going to Nineveh; his seaward escape; the storm God causes; the frightened sailors and Jonah's realization that because of him, God caused the storm. As a way to protect the sailors, Jonah recommends to them, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea, that it may quiet down for you, since it is because of me that this violent storm has come upon you" (1:12). God sends a "large fish" that swallows Jonah and after three days and nights the fish spews Jonah out.

So, in truth, today's reading is the second time "the word of the Lord came to Jonah." Despite the prophet's initial response, one gets the strong impression God has a message for Nineveh and, despite his reluctance, Jonah is the one to deliver it. Why is this prophet so reluctant to do his job? It is because Nineveh was an Assyrian city, the place where the royalty lived. It was, as we hear today, very large, surrounded by a 7 ½ mile wall. (Cf. DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE, by John L. Mc Kenzie, S.J. New York: Bruce Publishing, 1965). Jonah was an Israelite; Nineveh was an Assyrian city. Nineveh was called "the city of blood" (Nahum 3:1). The Assyrians were hard on Israel and Nineveh had a reputation for ruthlessness; it symbolized the harsh Assyrian empire. It was to this hated city that Jonah was called to preach. Would you blame him for resisting his assignment? To the believer Jonah, Nineveh deserved destruction-- not a chance to repent and receive God's mercy. The city does repent when it hears the reluctant prophet's preaching and, sure enough, God shows them mercy.

What's special about Jonah isn't his three day journey in the "whale"---though that's what comes to mind when he hear his name. Rather, it is his role as God's reluctant prophet and what we learn about God through Jonah's evasive activities. If we still think of the "Old Testament God" as a harsh, demanding judge, then Jonah is one more contrasting example for us. No, this is not a fanciful children's story about a man in a whale for three days. It is a tale that shows how God's mercy offers the possibility for repentance to all people. We religious people, like those in Jonah's time, can clutch God to our side against, against "them," and think God favors us believers over others. Thankfully, our religious ancestors kept Jonah's story as a reminder to them and now to us, that our notion of God may be too small and exclusive.

Religion is front stage these days in many conflicts around the world. We here in the West tend to stereotype some non-Christians and paint them as extremists who are threats to "our way of life" and our faith. Jonah helps us look into the mystery of our God and, once again, we see the embrace of God's love and mercy for all people.

There is a grace for us in this Jonah reading, a grace we Christians too often narrowly associate only with the gospels. Yes, the God of the Jonah story is the same God we will see Jesus reveal to us in the gospel. After all, what did Nineveh do to deserve God's mercy? Nothing. In fact, with it's reputation as the cruelest city in the cruel Assyrian empire we, with Jonah, would want to see it get "what it deserved." Instead, today's story, or better, today's "parable," is a tale of mercy, free of charge, unlimited and unearned. God, it seems, is free to bestow mercy on whomever God chooses. Yes, to Jonah's chagrin, even to the hated Ninevites. The God Jonah preached, is the God Jesus preached.

We call this liturgical year, "the year of Mark," because, for the most part, his is the gospel we will be hearing these Sundays. Yet, today is the first Sunday since the first two weeks of Advent, that we have a selection from Mark. Finally, for the following Sundays, the flow of Mark's gospel begins in earnest. [If you would like a preacher's overview of Mark, go to our webpage: and click on, "Preaching Essay."]

After John the Baptist got arrested Jesus started preaching. John's arrest would have been a caution to Jesus that preaching the truth can get one in trouble. The expression Mark uses for John's arrest, "was handed over," is the same he uses when referring to Jesus's passion and death. The Baptist's fate hints at what is in store for Jesus. There's another implicit message in the term "handed over." Disciples, who accept Jesus' message and turn to follow him, should also expect to make sacrifice, "deny self," in his name. The cross enters quickly into Mark's gospel and will shadow all the events that follow until. Jesus will predict it's coming first to him and then to his disciples, but they will refuse to hear the full consequences of what's entailed in following Jesus.

Jesus' first preaching announces, "This is the time of fulfillment, the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel." The time is ripe; it's a gifted opportunity; what people have waited a long time for, is coming to fruition---God is acting decisively on our behalf. No wonder Mark describes what Jesus is doing as, "proclaiming the gospel [good new] of God."

Like Jonah and the prophets, Jesus preached repentance, "metanoia." He invited people to have a change of heart and return to God. Jesus is not only calling for a change in people's attitudes and actions, but inviting them to believe that God's reign is actually at hand in all that he says and does. What Jesus is doing and saying, is what God is doing and saying. All that follows these first words of Jesus in Mark's gospel, will only be an elaboration of this concise proclamation about the presence of the reign of God in Jesus' presence.

Repentance means acknowledging one's sins and seeking forgiveness. Jesus links repentance with believing the good news, "Repent and believe the gospel." What good is repenting if we do not believe we will find forgiveness? The good news Jesus proclaims is that we do find forgiveness. Those who heard Jesus preaching find forgiveness and are invited to turn their lives toward him and change whatever keeps them from accepting and following him.

Jesus' call to metanoia sets the stage for what comes next, the call of the first disciples. Their response to his invitation is a concrete illustration of the radical change required. Metanoia means that a person going in one direction makes an about face and goes in the opposite. A person responding to Jesus' "repent," must reorient his/her life; take on a new way of being; rededicate energies and see and judge things from a new perspective. Jesus describes repentance as becoming like a child---which implies putting aside one's past and starting a whole new life.

What a huge turnaround the first disciples made! And they did it in a moment, unlike Jonah, whose direction had to be reversed by God's stormy intervention and a ride in a big fish. There is something about Simon, Andrew, James and John's response that touches a deep place in us. Like them we want more in our lives: more of God; more fidelity and prompt response to the call God is always ushering in our direction; more spontaneity when a chance to serve shows itself; more joy about having less to weigh us down and inhibit our ability to get up and follow Christ; more whole-heartedness in our ministries; more satisfaction in God's service; more wisdom to know how to respond to life's current challenges; more clarity to see our jobs as ways of following Christ and more courage to face sickness and its limits.

Yet, as we look at the rapid response the disciples made to Jesus' call, we feel some envy. Our modern world is so much more complicated and inhibits the kind of turnaround the first disciples could make. The kind of letting-go the four made that day by the Sea of Galilee, seems easier to us who have responsibilities and commitments that keep us in place doing what we have to do.

But it's too easy to shirk off the change and new response Jesus may be calling us to make. He didn't just call followers 2,000 years ago who didn't have mortgage payments and children's braces to pay for. How can we respond like those disciples did that day? Well, we could stop making excuses and stop thinking of today's gospel as belonging to a simpler time or as applicable only to a few monks and nuns. God's call is a challenge to us to respond to service. Each of us has been called and is being called by name right now. Our baptism reminds of that. We will pray at this Eucharist for open ears to hear again Jesus' call, "Come follow me...." We'll ask to be shown concretely how we can respond now to that call---on the job, in our homes and out in the world.

Grace was freely given to the Ninevites for the forgiveness of their sins. Grace was also issued in Jesus' call to repentance and by means of that grace they could make the changes they were being asked to make. How else could they respond so quickly and generously and make the sacrifices Jesus' call required? Grace would see them through the many arduous and doubting times their discipleship would involve. Grace would enable them to offer their lives when they, like John the Baptist and Jesus were "handed over." Pardon the colloquial, but "the name of the game is grace." It's summed up for me in the verse from the popular hymn, "Amazing Grace":
Through many dangers, toils and snares...
we have already come.
T 'was Grace that brought us safe thus far...
and Grace will lead us home.

PRAYERS FOR PEACE

In these times of war and international conflict we draw upon different religious traditions to provide peace prayers for us.

MUSLIM, JEWISH, CHRISTIAN PRAYER

O God, you are the source of life and peace.
Praised be your name forever.
We know it is you who turn our minds to thoughts of peace.
Hear our prayer in this time of war.

Your power changes hearts.
Muslims, Christians and Jews remember
and profoundly affirm,
that they are followers of the one God,
children of Abraham, brothers and sisters;
enemies begin to speak to one another;
those who are estranged join hands in friendship;
nations seek the way of peace together.

Strengthen our resolve to give witness
to these truths by the way we live.
Give to us:
UNDERSTANDING that puts an end to strife;
MERCY that quenches hatred, and
FORGIVENESS that overcomes vengeance.

Empower all people to live in your law of love.
Amen
(Pax Christi USA Fellowship of Reconciliation....

JUSTICE QUOTE

Because I was asked to reflect on my own community's corporate commitment and contribution to peace and justice, I went to the words from our Dominican Constitution "We preach so that the Word we contemplate might transform our lives and our contemporary world." And those words crafted in our Direction Statement became a promise that we would stand with and for the oppressed and marginated.

We have taken these commitments seriously and the Corporate stances we have engaged in over the years happened only after serious prayer and dialogue. These Community stances include one on housing, and others on the closing of the SOA, abolition of the death penalty, economic sanctions in Iraq, and opposition to the on-going occupation in Iraq. We are currently working on one concerning human trafficking. Recently we stood in solidarity with the people of LaOroya, Peru against the power of the Doe Run Mining Company, based in St. Louis, with refineries in Peru, when they unjustly fired their employees and would not reduce the amount of lead emissions into the air and water.

How we choose to use our financial resources and gifts also reflects our justice priorities. We do a significant amount of alternative investing especially in community development. We have a Poverty, Justice, and Peace Fund where many grants are distributed twice a year to grassroots projects that merit mentoring. We also constantly sit at the table of shareholders and do socially responsible investments. Our justice promoters, preachers, artists, and eco-justice conveners are involved in on-going collaboration with LCWR Region #8, Dominican Alliance, and Dominican Federation. We connect on many levels with justice organizations like Pax Christi, Network, 8th Day Center and Project Irene (Illinois Religious Engaging in Non-violent Endeavers) where the 4,300 Sisters in Illinois do education and political action which promotes the well being of women and children. Internationally we stand with the marginated in Peru, and connect intentionally with Dominicans in Nigeria, Zambia, Camaroon, Slovakia, and Iraq. -----"The Prophetic Stance of Women Religious Today," Sr. Judith Hilbing, O.P., Springfield Dominicans, (excerpt taken from a Pax Christi conference, Commemorating the 25th Anniversary and Legacy of the Four U.S. Churchwomen Martyred in El Salvador)

POSTCARDS TO DEATH ROW INMATES

"It is time to abandon the death penalty -- not just because of what it does to those who are executed, but because of how it diminishes all of us... We ask all Catholics--pastors, catechists, educators and parishioners -- to join us in rethinking this difficult issue and committing ourselves to pursuing justice without vengeance. With our Holy Father, we seek to build a society so committed to human life that it will not sanction the killing of any human person.------(Nov. 2000 "Responsibility, Rehabilitation, and Restoration: A Catholic Perspective on Crime and Criminal Justice," U.S. Catholic Bishops)
Inmates on death row are the most forgotten people in the prison system. Each week I am posting in this space several inmates' names and locations. I invite you to write a postcard to one or more of them to let them know that: we have not forgotten them; are praying for them and their families; or, whatever personal encouragement you might like to give them. If you like, tell them you heard about them through North Carolina's, "People of Faith Against the Death Penalty." Thanks, Jude Siciliano, OP
Please write to:........................................
Kenneth Neal #0495163 (On death row since 2/26/96 )
Elmer R. Mc Neill #0528622 (4/9/96)
Eric f. Murillo #0499258 (4/18/96)
--Central Prison 1300 Western Blvd. Raleigh, NC 27606

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

-- ABOUT DONATIONS --
If you would like to support this ministry, please send tax deductible contributions to Jude Siciliano, O.P., Make checks to "Dominican Friars of Raleigh." Mail contributions to: Jude Siciliano, O.P., Dominican Friars of Raleigh, P.O. Box 12927, Raleigh, N.C. 27605

REGULAR INFORMATION

I get notes from people responding to these reflections. Sometimes they tell how they use "First Impressions" in their ministry and for personal use. Others respond to the reflections, make suggestions and additions. I think our readers would benefit from these additional thoughts. If you drop me a BRIEF note, I will be happy to add your thoughts and reflections to my own. (Judeop@Juno.com)

Our webpage addresses:
(Where you will find "Preachers' Exchange," which includes these reflections and Homilias Dominicales, as well as articles, book reviews and quotes pertinent to preaching.)
http://www.opsouth.org Under "Preachers' Exchange"
http://www.op.org/exchange/

"Homilias Dominicales"-- these Spanish reflections are written by four friars of the Southern Dominican Province experienced in Hispanic Ministry, Isidore Vicente, Carmen Mele, Brian Pierce and Juan Martin Torres. Like "First Impressions", "Homilias Dominicales" are a preacher's early reflections on the upcoming Sunday readings and liturgy. So, if you or a friend would like to receive "Homilias Dominicales" drop a note to John Boll, O.P. at: jboll@opsouth.org
"First Impressions" is a service to preachers and those wishing to prepare for Sunday worship. It is sponsored by the Southern Dominican Province, U.S.A. If you would like "First Impressions" sent weekly to a friend, send a note to John Boll at the above Email address.
If you would like to support this ministry, please send tax deductible contributions to:
Jude Siciliano, OP, Promoter of Preaching
Southern Dominican Province, USA
P.O. Box 12927,
Raleigh, N.C. 27605
(919) 833-1893
Make checks to: Dominican Friars of Raleigh.
Thank you.