We are called to an encounter with Christ! To allow this encounter to change us! The readings today demonstrate that God always journeys with us. Despite our pain, suffering, and disappointments which are present all of our lives. Sometimes even this sorrow or pain can seem to take over our lives. Job in our first reading faces this kind of unrelenting suffering and does not understand why! He compares his life to a slave who is living out his life in misery. Job cries out in pain to God, and God hears Job! God hears our pain as we pray and cry out to him. Our God understands our sorrows and pains! And Job despite all his misery does not turn his back on God. Our God hears our prayers and cries, God stands always with us! We have a God who is love! A God journeys with us, a God that calls us to himself.
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.” We have just heard the first words Jesus speaks in Mark’s Gospel: It’s time! The kingdom is here! Repent and believe! With this Gospel we have the beginning of the proclamation of the Good News in Mark. Jesus is portrayed as discerning that the time is right for people to respond to the preaching of the kingdom. It’s time for God’s definitive revelation of who God is in the person of Jesus; it’s time to let the world know once and for all that God loves this world; it’s time that God is defined by mercy and compassion. The kingdom of God is at hand. What are the conditions for entry into the kingdom? Repent and believe the Good News.
Seizing the Moment of God’s Time, “Kairos” Time As He walked by the sea of Galilee and came into his public ministry, He begins to preach, “this is the time of fulfilment, the Kingdom of God is at hand, repent, and believe in the Gospel!” Notice that the essence of Jesus’ message is about a special time. In this key time, He offers a clear and fairly simple invitation, an invitation from God to us in the NOW of our soul, in this special moment that if we wait, may pass us by forever. Jesus calls to us now, right now, even at this very moment, because He knows our lives are full of many passing things. Even life itself is fleeting. We do not know how many more days we ourselves have on this earth. But we do have a clear and wonderful invitation on this day, in this hour from Jesus Christ our Lord: to acknowledge Him in our midst, to repent, to believe His presence will lead us to true life! Will we seize the moment, this Kairos moment?