Amici E Servitori Della Parola

FRIENDS and SERVANTS of the WORD Monday, January 8, 2018

WORD of the DAY

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. (Mark 1: 14-18)

How shall I live this Word?

Entering into time, Jesus reads, as we do, the events that develop and indicate to us the steps to take. Everything has an ending and a beginning. When John leaves the scene because he has been imprisoned, Jesus enters quietly, and starts His preaching. Only by living in the ‘mystery of communion’ – gift of the Spirit – can each one intuit their mission and know when to step aside, or take the initiative. Only where the ‘original design’ has been re-established can each one know their mandate, without lies, without confusion, without possessiveness! What does Jesus proclaim? He proclaims that God is close. He says this in His flesh, in His gestures, in His words. We change our way of reasoning; we stop being self-referencing, and trust in Him! And life becomes following Him!

Lord Jesus, all things reach fulfillment only in You. What was promised, waited for, desired, is actualized in You. It is actualized today with Him. Help us to be converted to this TODAY of salvation and to believing that with You, everything is possible! You tell us, ‘be converted and believe’. Help us to read it, not as two diverse and successive things, but as one and the same action: be converted, that is, believe; be converted by believing, because the first conversion is to believe.

The Voice of Pope Francis, Jubilee Audience, Saturday, June 18, 2016

Jesus made conversion the first word of His preaching: “Be converted and believe in the Gospel” (Mark 1:15). This is the proclamation that He presents to the people, asking them to accept His word as the last and definitive one that the Father addresses to humanity… When Jesus calls us to conversion, He does not make Himself the judge of people, but He does it with His closeness, with sharing our human condition, and thus the road, the home, the meals…Mercy toward those who needed to change their life came with His loving presence, to involve everyone in the history of salvation. Jesus persuades the people with amiability, with love, and with this behavior, Jesus deeply touches the heart of the people and they feel attracted by God’s love and urged to change their life.

______Institute of Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, Via dell’Ateneo Salesiano 81, 00139 Rome, Italy E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.sanbiagio.org [email protected] Blog: livingscripture.wordpress.com

Comment by Sr. Monica Gianoli, FMA