Second Sunday of the Year - 2024

Who Are You?

The liturgy now takes us to the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. As we take up these gospel stories we notice that some of the people we see encountering Jesus have heard about him and are curious about meeting him. Others have no idea who he  is until they encounter him - speaking first to them or doing something dramatic like healing someone. These first encounters leave these people asking "Who are You?"  Even though Christianity has now over a 2000 year history there are still countless numbers of people who continue to ask this same question, who are you? noteworthy among these are today 's young generation, known as Generation Z. Might I suggest, no matter what generation you belong to that asking this question is a good way for everyone to take up these 34 Sundays of Ordinary time.  Perhaps worst than not knowing anything about Jesus is to think that I am a long time believer and have nothing more to learn. The great theologian of the Church St. Thomas Aquinas, after having written several volumes of profound theology, one day laid down his pen saying of his great works, “I can do no more. The end of my labors has come. Such things have been revealed to me that all that I have written seems to me as so much straw." Then he was taken up into ever deeper mystical revelations.  We may not necessarily expect mystical experiences but a whole new insight and deeper understanding of the wonderful mysteries of our faith awaits everyone as we begin a new liturgical cycle with its focus on Mark's gospel.  So lay down pen and all your presumptions and like young Samuel in today's gospel text say, "Speak Lord your servant is listening."