Repent, and believe in the gospel

Heb 1,1-6; Ps 96; Mk 1,14-20
14 JANUARY
Conversion is the passage from the word and from the thought of man to the Word and the thought of God. It is leaving the paths of falsehood and lie and running through the paths of truth, justice and light. The only ones that lead to the sources of life.

All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat; Come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk! Why spend your money for what is not bread; your wages for what fails to satisfy? Heed me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare. Come to me heedfully, listen, that you may have life. I will renew with you the everlasting covenant, the benefits assured to David. As I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of nations, So shall you summon a nation you knew not, and nations that knew you not shall run to you, Because of the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, who has glorified you. Seek the Lord while he may be found, call him while he is near. Let the scoundrel forsake his way, and the wicked man his thoughts; Let him turn to the Lord for mercy; to our God, who is generous in forgiving. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts (Is 55,1-9).

The conversion is also adding to the Word of God of yesterday the Word of God of today, to yesterday’s revelation today’s revelation, to yesterday’s inspiration today’s inspiration. Today the Lord speaks, today we must listen to him. Today he gives salvation in his Word.

In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he spoke to us through a son, whom he made heir of all things and through whom he created the universe, who is the refulgence of his glory, the very imprint of his being, and who sustains all things by his mighty word. When he had accomplished purification from sins, he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high, as far superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs (Heb 1.1-3). But Christ was faithful as a son placed over his house. We are his house, if (only) we hold fast to our confidence and pride in our hope. Therefore, as the holy Spirit says: “Oh, that today you would hear his voice, ‘Harden not your hearts as at the rebellion in the day of testing in the desert, where your ancestors tested and tried me and saw my works for forty years. Because of this I was provoked with that generation and I said, “They have always been of erring heart, and they do not know my ways.” As I swore in my wrath, “They shall not enter into my rest.”‘” Take care, brothers, that none of you may have an evil and unfaithful heart, so as to forsake the living God. Encourage yourselves daily while it is still “today,” so that none of you may grow hardened by the deceit of sin. We have become partners of Christ if only we hold the beginning of the reality firm until the end (Heb 3,6-14).

Since today the Lord speaks, today the Spirit leads, today the Lord wants, today we ask him to do his will; the Christian is he who always gets converted to what the Lord today asks to be done. Jesus is always turned towards the Father, in eternity and in time. He is always listening to his voice and his heart.

After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfilment. 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.

Being converted in the Gospel of this day has a precise meaning: passing from the ancient Word of God, the most holy Word of yesterday, to the Word of today, the Word given to us through Jesus. It is Christ Jesus today and always the Word of the Father. We must be converted to the Word of Jesus. Today the Lord speaks. Today we must listen to him. Yesterday he spoke for yesterday.

Mother of God, Angels and Saints, make us in Jesus always turned towards the heart of the Father.