Scripture Reflections for Third Sunday of Ordinary Time

"Fr Fergus Kerr considers the relevance of St Paul's teaching on marriage for people today. 'Let those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it'. Are these words addressed..."

Fr. Fergus Kerr. "Putting Everything in Context." Torch. January 22, 2012

"'The form of this world is passing away' (1 Corinthians 7.31). At the time when St. Paul wrote these words he believed that the present form of this world would pass away in his own life-time. He was wrong in thinking this. It was to last for very many more lifetimes. But his statement is not wrong. It is a truth that has been revealed to us by Jesus Christ. Even after two thousand years..."

Fr. Austin Milner. "The Form of this World." Torch. January 25, 2009

"Religion can be fascinating, and to be the follower of a religion has several attractions. There is an involvement with the supernatural, there are sacred books and a body of teachings to engage the mind, there are rituals and practices that create fellowship and have inspired art and music, there is guidance on right and wrong, and there are indications about life after death."

Fr. Robert Ombres. "Captivated by Christ." Torch. January 17, 2018

"The Gospel was written to help explain how there began a 'Christ' movement -- what has come to be the Church. It began with the son of a village odd-job man, or carpenter, walking past hard-working fishermen, calling on them to follow him. He would have been known to them. They may have heard rumours of his visit to the wonderful preacher John, and having some sort of second-birth experience in a public washing-ceremony ('baptism')..."

Fr. Duncan Campbell. "Answering the Call." Torch. January 22, 2006

"Only a few weeks ago we were in Advent, and we heard the message: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. So we prepared ourselves for the coming of Christ and celebrated it at Christmas. But now, suddenly, we find ourselves listening to the same message all over again. Look at today's Gospel: The time has come and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent and believe the good news'..."

Fr. Fabian Radcliffe. "Repent! Again!." Torch. January 26, 2003

"God’s call to discipleship is as old as creation itself. In every age, in every nation, in every race and langauge God calls and chooses men and women to sow the seed of His kingdom. The process is always God’s own initiative. He comes to man and then the latter is expected to respond by emptying himself through repentance, conversion, and renewal of life. This is the theme of today’s readings. God first calls us..."

Father Lawrence Obilor. "You too follow Me!." A Catholic Moment. January 24, 2021

"In September of 2019, Pope Francis released an apostolic letter motu proprio “Aperuit Illis” designating the third Sunday of Ordinary Time—the Sunday on which the semi-continuous reading of the Gospel of the year begins—as “The Sunday of the Word of God,” and suggested that local parishes adopt some ceremonies or practices—like the presentation of Bibles to each family or to recently confirmed, etc.—to foster devotion to the Word of God on this day. The whole..."

John Bergsma. "The Sunday of the Word of God!." The Sacred Page. January 22, 2021

"The readings for Mass today may seem impressive, but also very distant from us. We can admire from a distance whilst remaining unchanged. Jonah, for all his reluctance, was a prophet, and at great cost to himself as his life became disrupted by God. Simon and Andrew, brothers who made a living by fishing, when Jesus told them to follow him in a very different way of life immediately left the tools of their trade..."

Fr. Robert Ombres. "Living Provisionally." Torch. January 18, 2021