Time Has Come to Repent

“ The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

First Reading: Genesis 9:8-15

God said to Noah and to his sons with him: "See, I am now establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you: all the birds, and the various tame and wild animals that were with you and came out of the ark. I will establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all bodily creatures be destroyed by the waters of a flood; there shall not be another flood to devastate the earth." God added: "This is the sign that I am giving for all ages to come, of the covenant between me and you and every living creature with you: I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth When I bring clouds over the earth, and the bow appears in the clouds, I will recall the covenant I have made between me and you and all living beings, so that the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all mortal beings.

Resp. Psalm: Psalms 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

Second Reading: 1Peter 3:18-22

For Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God. Put to death in the flesh, he was brought to life in the spirit. In it he also went to preach to the spirits in prison, who had once been disobedient while God patiently waited in the days of Noah during the building of the ark, in which a few persons, eight in all, were saved through water. This prefigured baptism, which saves you now. It is not a removal of dirt from the body but an appeal to God  for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.

Gospel: Mark 1:12-15

At once the Spirit drove him out into the desert, and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him. 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."

Reflection

By Benj Santiago

“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.””(Mk 1:15)

Jesus’ public ministry began after John the Baptist had been arrested. The message He had was very clearly stated on verse Mk1:15. What John was preaching about the Savior and Messiah is at hand, is already being fulfilled by Him. But sadly, He was not recognized and people continue to look for the Promised Messiah. Even to this age and time, not everyone knows or they simply refuse to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Even in Israel, where He was born, raised and preached, He is not acknowledged as the Messiah.

Even in our midst, among those who profess to be Christians or Catholics, Jesus is professed as Lord and Savior with the mouth, but is actually denied through actions and deeds. There is so much trickery, deceit, corruption, hatred, greed, malice, sinfulness that wraps up the world. I, myself fall victim to these deadly sins despite the fact that I know Jesus is our Messiah. But I believe in His great mercy and forgiveness. All I have to do every time I sin is to repent and believe that He really loves me and He shall wipe away all my sins. His promise is eternal and all I have to do to indeed be saved is to repent and believe in His gospel.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we praise You and we thank You for giving us Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ to be our Messiah, our Savior. And we thank You Lord Jesus for Your unending mercy and forgiveness that all we have to do is repent and believe and we shall be saved! Thank You Lord Jesus. Thank You! Amen.

Action

Bring a friend to church! Invite them to have their confession. Have the sacrament of reconciliation too!