Daily Readings for January 25, 2015

1ST READING

A true prophet speaks the Word of God no matter what the personal cost of doing so may be. Jonah first runs away from this task but is eventually convicted, after a number of extraordinary events, to obey God’s calling. The result is the repentance of the people of an enormous city – they heed his words and repent of their sin. For us, this is a lesson in obedience. We will never know what might hinge on our obedient response to God’s will in our lives. It could mean the salvation of many others, as well as our own.

Jonah 3:1-5, 10

1 The word of the Lord came to Jonah, saying: 2 “Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce to it the message that I will tell you.” 3 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. 4 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,” 5 when the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth. 10 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.

P S A L M

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

R: Teach me your ways, O Lord.

4 Your ways, O Lord, make known to me; teach me your paths, 5 guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior. (R) 6 Remember that your compassion, O Lord, and your love are from of old. 7 In your kindness remember me, because of your goodness, O Lord. (R) 8 Good and upright is the Lord; thus he shows sinners the way. 9 He guides the humble to justice, he teaches the humble his way. (R)

2ND READING

Our lives here on earth are only a passing reality. They can seem very important to us in the here and now, but the truth of the matter is, they are only an infinitesimal part of the whole picture that extends into eternity. This truth helps us realize why we need to respond to God’s grace now. Tomorrow may be too late as we do not know when God will call us to Himself and face judgment. Let us follow God’s will completely and immediately.

1 Corinthians 7:29-31

29 I tell you, brothers and sisters, the time is running out. From now on, let those having wives act as not having them, 30 those weeping as not weeping, those rejoicing as not rejoicing, those buying as not owning, 31 those using the world as not using it fully. For the world in its present form is passing away.

GOSPEL

Jesus begins His proclamation of the Kingdom of God and immediately calls others to assist Him. We, too, are called to be His apostles, sent into the world to live and proclaim the truth of the Gospel wherever we may be. This aspect of our calling should be our first priority so that we may live our faith to the full and bear witness to the truth of the Gospel.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel.

Mark 1:14-20

14 After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: 15 “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” 16 As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. 17 Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 18 Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. 19 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. 20 Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.

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