3rd Sunday Change happens

There is an axiom in Geology; the processes going on now also went on in the past. Mountain building, erosion, volcanism, et al have been going on, and will go on.

One of the great shifts in thinking was the change of belief that we lived in a static world and universe, and realizing that we lived in a dynamic world and universe. Change happens. The world around us has not been the same for the past 4.5 billion years. Mountain ranges have formed and eroded away. Oceans covered lands that are now deserts. Even around our little part of the universe there used to be a huge lake, Lake Lahontan during glacial periods. We can see remnants of it if we are trained how to observe. In fact Pyramid and Walker Lakes are the last vestiges of this once huge lake.

Change, evolution is built into the very fabric of the universe. From a singularity 13 billion years ago to a complex outrageously, incomprehensibly large universe we have today: Change happens.  Even physically within ourselves; those new babies soon grow up so very fast, walk, learn to drive, go off to college, fall in love, get married or enter seminary or convent; we grow. We love. We either contribute to the development of humanity and this world, or sometimes we hinder it. 

Here we are at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry as written in the Gospel of Mark. It begins with Jesus’ primary message, the Kingdom of God, or a better translation, the Reign of God is at hand!   And to encounter this reign, to live within this reign, we need to REPENT, meaning change our minds and hearts, and believe in the Good News-God’s love of us.  Then to make visible that message Jesus begins to gather around him others, a community. They change right away; they leave jobs, livelihoods, and their normal way of life. They change to be able to open their hearts and minds to a greater reality.

Jesus calls us to Repent, to change our hearts and minds, so as to be able to encounter the love of God and participate in that love.  Now the majority of us are not asked to change jobs; but mostly the way we think and act towards others.  Maybe one change is how we think of the The Reign of God. It is not necessarily in some building nor achieved by our own merits. It begins first of all in trusting in that Good News, that God graces us, loves us, no matter what. And then responding to that grace and sharing it with others.

Jesus shows us that the reign of God is experienced with healing, with forgiving, with compassion and mercy. God’s will become present, in relationship - between people. Jesus formed a community to acknowledge this. We are a community to acknowledge this and live it out.  Too often we can fall into the trap of thinking this is just about me and God. That as long as I pray, do my obligations, I am good. Yet with this, people can become objects, a means to “my” end of making myself a good person. We forget the person that they are.  

Parish, and parish worship reminds us this is about community. We are here together, for each other and for the world.

A sadness is that Covid has limited our community building to a degree Before, It was great to see people talking before and after mass, building bonds between each other. We had made great strides in building up our sense of community, and we will do more. We can’t let covid stop us, nor can we let stagnation stop us. 

We will continue to change and grow.  

If we feel we have not encountered God that signals that we need to change and grow. We will need to venture out a little, beyond comfort zones, to exceed ourselves a bit, so as to open ourselves to God and life.  Those disciples took that risk. It wasn’t easy for them for sure. They failed at times, got it wrong; but Jesus lifted them up, got them going again.

It is never too late.  Even the Ninevites, the traditional enemy of Israel, were able to change.

Maybe for some, it is considering our attitudes, our preconceived ideas of how we want the world to be.  Maybe it is considering that as much as God loves “me” God loves everyone else to the same degree, even those whom maybe I disagree with, or even despise.

Maybe it is realizing that power as we understand it is a big fat lie. True power and true freedom comes from giving of self for the good of others.

These were all aspects that the disciples had to learn of, let go of, and accept; to be reborn in Christ.  The same process applies for us as it did some 2000 years later.

The Reign of God is at hand, lets go experience it more and more.