Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

THE PROCLAMATION OF THE KINGDOM
Mark 1:14-20

Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God.
It is the message coming from God which Jesus Christ brings. It is the message of salvation and it is this - it is God's intention to bring his Kingdom among us immediately.

This is the time of fulfilment.
Immediately after the fall, God made a promise to save mankind. And throughout the centuries, God worked toward the fulfillment of that promise. He, therefore, chose Abraham, then Jacob, and from him was born the Jewish people. And from the Jewish people came Jesus Christ, the promised One. And with Jesus the promse of so many centuries past was at last being fulfilled.

The Kingdom of God is at hand.
The good news is that finally the kingdom of god has been brought to this world. The Kingdom of God is not found in a certain place, as the Kingdom of Jordan is found in a certain place. The kingdom of God is found in the hearts of men because wherever God reigns, the Kingdom of god is there.

Repent, and believe in the gospel.
Or change your ways and believe in the good news. For God to reign in the hearts of men, two things must be done.

First, man must repent. Repentance means coming to one's senses. It involves a change of mind so that one deliberately turns away from sin in his heart in order to turn to God. This will in turn lead him to a change in behavior.

Second, there is need to accept the message of Jesus Christ, and ultimately, to accept Jesus Christ himself. Accepting Jesus means accepting him for who he is - God become man to offer us salvation. Accepting him means accepting what he offers us - forgiveness. Accepting him means accepting the new life he gives as a gift - son / daughter of God.