Homily For Monday First Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 13th January 2025

Readings: Heb. 1:1-6, Ps. 97, Mark 1:14-20

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

THEY LEFT EVERYTHING AND FOLLOWED THE LORD

Today marks the beginning of the Season of the Ordinary Time in this current Liturgical year. Today we are reminded of our call and vocation as Christians, which is well illustrated in our Gospel passage today.

The Gospel gives us the account of the calling of the first Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, the four fishermen, Peter and his brother Andrew, as well as James and John, the sons of Zebedee, whom he called just right after he began his ministry after his baptism at the Jordan.

Here, we heard how Jesus called them, and they responded by leaving everything behind, their boat, their families and their profession, to follow the Lord. Today, we are called like these Apostles to follow Jesus, and following Jesus means leaving behind the life we have now and embracing the new life he is offering to us.

When we opt to follow Jesus, our life revolves around him. It’s no longer what we feel like doing, but what his word instructs us to do. It also means leaving behind our sinful ways of life and embracing the holiness of life.

And this is what our first reading today is emphasizing, telling us that at various times in the past and in different ways, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; but in our own time, the last days, he has spoken to us through his Son, who is the radiant light of his glory and the perfect copy of his nature, sustaining the universe by his powerful command. Thus, he is the one calling us to follow him.

Dear friends, in this call of following the Lord, what have we left behind? What have we sacrificed? Today, we are called to really examine our conscience to know where we are as regards our vocation as Christians. How have we personally experienced Jesus?

When was your spiritual turning point? Do we have a personal conviction about God that is not based on what people told us of him? In case we have not personally experienced him, all we need to do is sincerely seek God in those common events in our lives, and we will realize how much God is willing to reveal himself to us.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, today we are reminded of our call to follow your Son Jesus, as we respond to this call, may we find inner joy in our soul that will prompt us to spread the Good News of the Gospel with faith and conviction. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a fruitful week ahead.