Sunday January 27, 2021
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)
Gospel MK 1: 14-20
After John had been arrested, 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.” As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. 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. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.
Ebanjelioa Markos 1: 14-20
14 Joan Bataiatzailea kartzelan sartu eta gero, Jesus Galileara etorri zen eta Jainkoaren berri ona hots egiten zuen. 15 Honela zioen: «Betea da garaia, eta gainean duzue Jainkoaren erregetza. Bihozberri zaitezte eta sinetsi berri ona». 16 Jesusek, Galileako aintzira-bazterrean zehar zihoala, Simon eta honen anaia Andres ikusi zituen sareak uretara botatzen, arrantzaleak baitziren. 17 Jesusek esan zien: «Zatozte nirekin eta giza arrantzale egingo zaituztet». 18 Haiek, besterik gabe, sareak utzi eta jarraitu egin zioten. 19 Aurreraxeago, Santiago eta Joan anaiak, Zebedeoren semeak, ikusi zituen; sare-konponketan ari ziren beren ontzian. 20 Ikusi bezain laster, dei egin zien. Haiek, beren aita Zebedeo eta mutilak ontzian utzirik, Jesusen ondoren abiatu ziren.
Jesus and personal and social transformation
Many scholars have written important works to try to define precisely where the “essence of Christianity” it to be found. However, to know the center of the Christian faith, we do not need to go to any theological theory. First thing is to understand what was for Jesus his most important goal, the center of his life, the absolute, the cause to which he devoted himself in body and soul.
No one doubts today that Mark’s gospel has aptly summarized that goal in these words: “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the Good News.” The aim of Jesus was to introduce in the world what he called “the kingdom of God:” a society structured in a fair and dignified manner for all, jus as God wants it.
When God reigns in the world, humanity progresses in justice, solidarity, compassion, fraternity and peace. To this goal Jesus gave passionately all his energies. For believing in this dream, or utopia, and for putting all his energies into its accomplishment, he was persecuted, tortured and executed. “The kingdom of God” was the absolute value for him.
The conclusion is obvious: the strength, the energy, the sense of purpose, the reason and the ultimate meaning of Christianity is “the kingdom of God,” and nothing else. The only criteria to measure the Christian identity, the truth of any spirituality or the value of what the Church is, is always subject and at the service of the “kingdom of God.”
In a nutshell, the only way to look at life as Jesus did, the only way to feel things as Jesus felt, the only way to act as Jesus did, is to guide all our lives toward building a more humane world. However, many Christians have not heard that the “kingdom of God”. One of the most serious heresies which we introduced in our Christian rationale is to make of the Church an absolute principle; worst still, to identify our Church with the “Kingdom of God.” It is a serious error to think that the Church is the center to which everything else must be subordinated. It is a serious mistake to make of the Church the “replacement” of the kingdom of God. This error and mistake has led us to worry more for the organization and strengthening of the juridical, liturgical aspects of a triumphal Church rather than taking care of the suffering in the world and fighting for the building of a more equitable and just society. Often the official church has looked at the other side in front of flagrant social injustices, in order to maintain her privileges.
It is not easy to maintain our Christian convictions oriented toward serving the values of the kingdom of God, but when we do try working in that direction, then faith becomes more creative and, above all, more evangelical and Christian.
Jesusek mundu berri bat eraikitzera gonbidatu eta bultzatzen gaitu. Jainkoak nahi duen erako mundo berri bat: baztertuak eta txikiak eta humilatuak eta ankapetuak goiengo aulkietan exeriko diren mundo berri bat.