Invitation to Transform: Monday – First Week of Ordinary Time Mark 1:14-20

The Beginning of Jesus’ Public Call

After the arrest of John the Baptist, Jesus begins His public ministry with a clear and demanding proclamation:

“The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel.”

This is not only an announcement—it is an invitation to transformation.The Kingdom of God is not an idea or a future dream; it is a presence.But to experience that presence, something in us must change.

Repentance: More Than Feeling Sorry

When Jesus says, “Repent,” He is not speaking merely of guilt or regret.The biblical meaning of repentance is a change of direction.

Repentance means:

reorienting our life,

reordering our priorities,

allowing God to reshape our choices.

The Kingdom is near—but it can only be experienced by hearts willing to change.

“Come After Me”: The Call Is Personal

Jesus does not give a program; He gives a call.

“Come after me.”

This call is:

personal,

immediate,

demanding.

He does not say, “Come when you are ready,” or “Come after everything is settled.”He calls them in the middle of their work, in the ordinariness of life.

God’s call often comes before we feel prepared.

Leaving the Nets – And Mending What Is Broken

The disciples leave their nets—but the Gospel invites us to go further.

Leaving the nets is not only about:

leaving a profession,

leaving comfort,

leaving security.

It is also about mending what is broken within us:

broken relationships,

wounded attitudes,

unresolved anger,

half-hearted commitments.

Sometimes the greater work is not leaving the nets, but repairing the heart.

A Work Greater Than Fishing

Jesus says:

“I will make you fishers of men.”

This new mission demands:

trust,

courage,

patience,

inner healing.

Before we can gather others, we must allow God to mend us.The call to follow Christ always includes a call to conversion and renewal.

The Net That Needed Repair

There is a story of a fisherman who kept losing fish because his net had small tears. Instead of buying a new net, he spent time repairing it carefully. Soon, his work became fruitful again.

Our lives are often like that net.God does not always replace us—He repairs us.

The Kingdom Is Here—Are We Ready?

Today Jesus repeats His words to us:

“Repent… Come after me.”

The Kingdom of God is already among us.But it demands:

courage to leave,

humility to mend,

faith to follow.

May we have the grace not only to drop our nets, but also to allow Christ to mend our lives, so that we may truly follow Him and share His Kingdom with others.

Amen.