Reconciliation: Ordinary Time - Part 1

 

INTRODUCTION

When the lectionary cycle returns to Mark's gospel for the rest of the year,^* so-called 'ordinary time' does not mean we return to "business-as-usual"!
( ^*Except for the period between the 17th & 21st Sundays when John chapter 6 is read.)
The mystery of the Trinity - of the incarnated presence of the divine in our human affairs - means we Christian disciples continue to reflect on the creative expression of the divine plan as found in the Sunday scriptures.
The readings of the season are our practical 'check-list' of what is needed to extend and develop the divine plan!

Leader:

Friends, we gather for reconciliation
because we have neglected
the gifts of our baptism life
and we have fallen into sin.

Through this reconciliation
God calls us to start afresh.
Repentence has a joyful side.
It looks more to the future
than to the past.

We will pray together,
listen to the scriptures,
confess our sinfulness
and pray for strength
to remain faithful
to this good news.

Be among us,
O holy Spirit of God
and bring us to wholeness and peace.
Make our world new!
We ask this through Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with You,
One God, now and always:

ALL:

AMEN.

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MARK 1 : 14 - 20
"Repent and believe the Good News." Jesus repeats John the Baptist's call. We hear the voice of God's invitation to us in the readings of, "good news." The Word of God is always "good" whether we like it or not!

MARK 1 : 21 - 28
Jesus takes on a new identity as He begins His public ministry. He becomes 'Master of the Living Torah' and His energies are directed towards systematically apprenticing His disciples in His skills of doing God's future work. And when we listen to the Sunday scriptures and share in the Sunday eucharist, we too receive systematic instruction in these same performance skills of Jesus.

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( The following reflections help us to review of our performance as disciples of Jesus. We heard the gospel earlier. Now we examine how we have gone in the light of that 'hearing'.

Third Week Ordinary Time

When Jesus Calls would-be disciples to "become fishers" the call is framed in words that acknowledge what His would-be disciples were already doing. Their knowledge of the lure, the patient waiting, the measured guess-work, the movement of wind and currents, the work of landing the quarry - all these things will be taken up into more of the same thing - but now with a human catch!
But our temptation is to consider our faith-doings in a fragile contrast to our more robust and concrete normal experiences. We can fail to recognise our given capacities for faith. Jesus invited His "fishers" not to give up their profession entirely, but to become fishers of sorts. He invited them to foster and fan those settled skills and instincts.
We can ignore the opportunities to imitate these performance skills of the Master offered in the present time through regular and systematic presentation of the gospel by the Church. But these skills are also fostered in the rhythms and experience of faithful daily living.

Fourth Week Ordinary Time

The gospel of the Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time gives the impression that Jesus was free of "static" in giving His message. But Mark is describing the early stages of Jesus' ministry before people had a chance; to pick over His words, to detract from the content of what He said, to supply shady motives for His words. They will soon enough! And like these early hearers of His message - so will we. But what Jesus preached was no doubt partly learned from the people to whom He preached. The human dynamics of teacher and apprentice include filtering, distorting and correcting as a normal part of passing on the tradition.

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Leader:

We remember Jesus' words
"Stay awake praying at all times"
Let us pray for our needs
and the needs of the world:

1:

For members of the Christian community.
That Christ's teachings
will be their practical wisdom,
as they exercise prophetic leadership.
God of Wisdom, hear us:

ALL:

2:

For nations and peoples of the world.
That Christ's teachings
will be a source of peace-making efforts.
as they seek to build a culture of life.
God of Peace, hear us:

ALL:

3:

For the persecuted.
That Christ's teachings
will be a source of courage
as they resist evil
and embrace 'poverty of spirit'.
God of the Poor, hear us:

ALL:

4:

For all would-be disciples of Jesus.
That Christ's teaching
be a source of courage
to realise our full humanity
as God's beloved.
God of Completion, hear us:

ALL:

5:

For us gathered here.
That we will realise Christ's teaching
through our adopting the attitudes
the Jesus' teaching demands.
God of mercy, hear us:

ALL:

Leader:

O God, ever faithful,
Your paths are love and truth.
Help us to understand our inner lives
and keep us vigilant in loving
on the path which leads to You.
We make these prayers
in Jesus' name.

ALL:

AMEN.

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[ The examination of conscience topics follow: . . .

ALL:

( Confessions begin with these or similar words:
"Bless me, Father for I have sinned.
It is n. weeks since my last confession
and my sins are: . . , " )

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Leader:

Let us pray: . . ,
God of mercy,
on the first day of creation
You made the light
that scatters all darkness.
Let Christ, the light of lights,
shine on us and free us
from the darkness of sin.
( Sprinkling with holy water )
May we keep safe
the gift Your love once gave us in Baptism
and which Your mercy now restores.
We ask this through Jesus Christ
whom You send:

ALL:

Leader:

Fill our lives with good works
as we go out to meet Your Son,
so that we may give Him
a fitting welcome.
We make this prayer
in Jesus' name:

ALL: