Third Sunday in Ordinary Time: 

 Jon 3:1-5,10; 1 Cor 7:29-31; Mk 1:14-20

 The world was shocked when the Cruise Ship Costa Concordia hit a reef off of the Tuscan island of Giglio.  We were even more saddened when we heard that the Captain brought the boat close to the coast to impress a head waiter who was from that island.  Even more troubling are the reports that he fled his ship in time of need and even when he was ordered to return by the Coast Guard, he refused to return to the ship to aid the passengers.  However, other reports are also emerging, reports on heroism; passengers and rescuers putting themselves in harm way to save other people.  Some, responded without thinking to save themselves, others responded without thinking to save others.

 Life provides us many different opportunities to respond positively or negatively to different situations.  Sometimes we all make poor choices, hopefully all of us will make the courageous choice when the moment arises.  Good choices, however, are made when we are living good lives.  Good choices are not made by chance; they are in response to a well lived life.

 Today's Scriptures are filled with good and poor choices.  Jonah, first of all, made a poor choice when he refused to listen to the word of God.  God called him to preach to the city of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, modern day Iraq.  The Assyrians were despised by the people of Israel because they had utterly annihilated the Northern Kingdom of Israel and threatened the Southern Kingdom of Judah with destruction.  Jonah's hope was probably that the people of Nineveh would not repent and that God would justly lay waste to their city.  So, instead of proceeding to Nineveh, he traveled by boat in the opposite direction until he was thrown overboard, swallowed by a large fish and spit out on the shore of Nineveh.  Man proposes, God disposes!  Nineveh was a large city and it should have taken at least three days for Jonah to preach repentance, but the people responded immediately and in less than a day they proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth.

 We see the same immediacy in today's Gospel.  The Gospel of Mark does not have the first disciples listening to Jesus or even letting Him enter their boat.  Jesus simply passes by and calls after them saying, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." (1:17)  They are not given time to contemplate their choice or to discern what their calling in life is all about.  Jesus calls and they responded, end of question.  It was immediate, they left their father and their business and followed Him.

 St. Paul in today's second reading, reminds us how immanent our calling needs to be.  "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."  (I Cor 7:29-31)  Many are fearful because they believe that the Mayan Calendar predicts that 2012 will be the end of the year.  Over the years we have all listened to many doomsayers saying the end is near.  Who knows?  What is truly important?

We are called to live good and holy lives at every moment.  When we are grounded in our faith and solid in our love for others, when momentous decision comes our way we will respond.  Hopefully, we will be able to respond like disciples and follow our Lord when He calls.  And if our ship is sinking and we are called to save others before we save our own lives, hopefully we will have the courage to stay on board the ship.  Life is filled with many courageous decisions, big and small.  We are reminded by the Holy Scriptures today that if we are grounded in our faith, we will have the wisdom to respond with great fortitude when these decisions arrive.

• This Wednesday, January 25^th we will be having a Virtus training in the Auditorium from 6pm to 9pm. It is really important that all those in ministry including Ushers, Eucharistic Ministers, and Lectors attend this training. This training session is for the safeguard of our children and our Archdiocese and the Church in the United States have wisely made this a requirement for all those in ministry.

God bless,

Father John Provenza

Pastor