Monday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 305

Saint Francis rests by a forest stream
at Mount Saint Francis

Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of God: 
“This is the time of fulfillment. 
The Kingdom of God is at hand. 
Repent, and believe in the Gospel.”


Saint Mark's gospel begins with a very simple formula: 

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

He has in fact invented a new literary form, the gospel. It is not an essay, article, biography or history; it is a gospel. He intends to present in this document the "Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." To do so, he compiles a collection of stories and teachings (called pericopes) and arranged them to suit his theological purposes (not chronological or historical.) He hangs them loosely on the framework of Jesus' travel from Galilee to Jerusalem. 
We have already heard of the testimony of John the Baptist during Advent, so today's passage begins with verse 14 and the first words from Jesus' mouth: 

"This is the time of fulfillment.The Kingdom of God is at hand.Repent, and believe in the Gospel."

There is a tremendous sense of urgency in Saint Mark's Gospel. He uses the Greek word for immediately often. In fact, as I understand, he tells the story in the present tense, rather than the past, to convey even more urgency, although translations usually render it in the past tense. 

So when we hear Jesus crying out, "This is the time of fulfillment." we should have a feeling of shock. "OMG! Now?" He seems to be charging up the road from the desert (where he was with the wild animals) and is hurrying past the Sea of Galilee and the fisherman when he shouts at them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men!" and they do just that. "They left their nets  and followed him."

With our practice of daily prayer and meditation we learn that sense of urgency. There is no time to waste; we haven't a second to lose. We must be continually alert to do good and avoid evil.  The opportunity of this moment will never come again. 

As we have finished the Christmas cycle and enter "ordinary time" we remember that ordinary is a relative word. It's not flat, or unimportant. It's rich with invitation, especially as we hear Jesus shouting at us, "This is the time of fulfillment.... Come after me!"