Memory of the Poor

Reading of the Word of God

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

This is the Gospel of the poor,
liberation for the imprisoned,
sight for the blind,
freedom for the oppressed.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Mark 1,14-20

After John had been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the gospel from God saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the gospel.' As he was walking along by the Lake of Galilee he saw Simon and Simon's brother Andrew casting a net in the lake -- for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, 'Come after me and I will make you into fishers of people.' And at once they left their nets and followed him. Going on a little further, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they too were in their boat, mending the nets. At once he called them and, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the men he employed, they went after him.

 

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

The Son of Man came to serve,
whoever wants to be great
should become servant of all.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

The Gospel of Mark is the first to be written and begins, unlike the other two synoptics, directly with the narrative of Jesus 'public life. Yesterday, the liturgy celebrated the memory of Jesus' Baptism. Today it shows the beginning of his preaching. Mark notes that Jesus goes to Galilee after John was "arrested." From this moment, Jesus decides to start walking the streets of his land to announce to everyone the "good news" of the Kingdom of God. It is the first time that the word Gospel, that is "good news," appears. It is not an abstract word that is pronounced, and then vanishes into the fog of the forgetfulness of people. The Gospel is Jesus himself. He is the "good news" to welcome with faith and to communicate to people so that they entrust to him their lives. Jesus, with words and works, shows that the kingdom of love has come in the midst of men and women. And with him a new story of love and friendship begins. This is the "good news" that people of Israel was waiting for. The story of Christian preaching makes its first steps on the shores of Galilee, when Jesus sees Simon and Andrew, two fishermen brothers, and says to them, "Come follow me and I will make you fish for people." The two, though busy fixing their nets, welcome the invitation and follow him. It is paradigm of the story of the disciples of all time. In every generation, in fact, even in ours, the Lord passes and calls men and women to follow him so that they fish for people too. We are called not to say among us or reach an individual goal. Jesus calls the disciples to communicate God's love till the end of the earth.