Year B: 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 7: 29-31

In today’s Reading, there is a real challenge to the early Christian community - to set themselves apart from the world... not to marry - not mourn - not laugh - not buying things - not becoming engrossed in the world - a very stark and demanding choice.

At that time, people fully expected the Second Coming at any time. Given that sense of imminence, St Paul’s words make more sense. He was directing his readers to set their sights on the Kingdom that was to come rather than allowing themselves to be fully immersed in the life of the world of the time.

What then are we to make of such a reading in our day? Is it right that we should stop marrying - mourning - laughing - buying - that we should separate ourselves from the world?

For many years, this teaching was used as a model for the lives of Christians. Catholics especially, tended to view the world with some suspicion and the highest form of vocation was seem to remain unmarried and devoted totally to the service of God.

The Second Vatican Council addressed the issue directly- especially in the document “Lumen Gentium” - “Light to the Nations”. This document looks at the life of the Church -and whilst it acknowledges the great role played by clergy and religious, it also emphasises that the rest of the world can be sanctified too - and it is the vocation of lay people to do this. For example, “The laity are specially called to make the Church present and active in the places where only they can make it present” “Their (lay people’s) testimony carries special conviction for it is given right in the midst of the world”.

When it looked as if the Second Coming was just round the corner, it was appropriate for people to live with their sights firmly fixed on that. This is not the gift of our day.

We are called to live in the world - but in a way that shows our faith and hope in the glory to come - and to show that so openly that others are attracted to it too..

What does it mean for me?

How can you fulfil your call to show the power of Christ’s message in your daily life? How can you consecrate the world to God?

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