{"id":3465,"date":"2021-01-23T16:33:24","date_gmt":"2021-01-24T00:33:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/turnloverepeat\/?p=3465"},"modified":"2021-01-23T16:33:24","modified_gmt":"2021-01-24T00:33:24","slug":"dont-mend-your-broken-nets-leave-them-behind","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/turnloverepeat\/2021\/01\/dont-mend-your-broken-nets-leave-them-behind\/","title":{"rendered":"Don\u2019t Mend Your Broken Nets! Leave Them Behind!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"They
\u201cDon\u2019t mend your broken nets! Leave them behind!\u201d Pixabay \/ Public Domain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Broken or not, nets are not what you need to be fishers of men and women.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mark 1:14-20<\/a> for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Today in the Gospel, we meet Christ at the beginning of his public mission to tell people the gospel of God<\/em><\/strong><\/span>.<\/p>\n

Today, as he begins it all, he sums up the gospel of God<\/em><\/strong><\/span> in four short announcements.<\/p>\n

This is the time of fulfillment.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The kingdom of God is at hand.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Repent.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Believe in the gospel.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The first two announcements promise something.<\/p>\n

This is the time of fulfillment.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The kingdom of God is at hand.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The other two announcements make demands.<\/p>\n

Repent.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Believe in the gospel.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

To receive fulfillment and enter the kingdom, we need to repent and believe.<\/p>\n

Where and what is the kingdom of God?<\/p>\n

Why does it require repentance and faith?<\/p>\n

The kingdom of God is paradise, and Christ is king and God.<\/p>\n

This all repeats itself in the final hours of Christ on the cross.<\/p>\n

On the cross, a sign over his head calls him king<\/em><\/strong><\/span>.<\/p>\n

The executioner-soldiers mock him, saying: If you are a king, save yourself!<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

An unnamed criminal, also suffering crucifixion, announces his own repentance, confessing that he deserves to die for his deeds.<\/p>\n

Then he declares his faith in the innocence of Christ and the kingship of Christ: Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Christ canonizes him on the spot as a citizen of his kingdom: Amen, I say to you, this day YOU will be with ME in PARADISE.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

As our original doubt<\/strong> <\/span>and sin<\/strong> <\/span>threw and barred us from paradise in the first place, so repentance<\/strong> <\/span>and faith<\/strong> <\/span>are the way back to paradise where Christ is king.<\/p>\n

Not FAITH<\/span> <\/strong>alone, but REPENTANCE<\/strong> <\/span>and faith!<\/p>\n

This is the time of fulfillment.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The kingdom of God is at hand.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Repent.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Believe in the gospel.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

What is it to repent?<\/p>\n

The word for repent<\/em><\/strong> <\/span>in the original language of the gospel means literally change your mind<\/em><\/strong><\/span>.<\/p>\n

During the rest of his public teaching, Christ explained in many ways what was involved in changing your mind.<\/p>\n

Repenting, changing your mind, involves change in three ways.<\/p>\n