For some years, I worked in a Parish under the patronage of St. Francis of Assisi.

I remember reading some books on the life of St. Francis. He was the son of a wealthy cloth merchant in Assisi, and lived a good life. His adolescence was a time of parties and adventures with his friends. It did not seem that he was interested in the family business. Rather he thought that in the age of chivalry that he would be a soldier, and that distinguishing himself as a soldier he would set himself up for life. At that time Italy was not one country, but a multitude of city-states, each with their own royal family. There were constant battles between these city-states, so Francis could be sure of making of life for himself. However, he was injured in a battle and during his long recuperation, the only books that were made available to him were a Bible and a book of the lives of the saints. Suddenly, Francis was transformed. He was no longer interested in being a soldier for anyone except Jesus Christ. He put behind him his life of pleasure, and wanted to serve God, especially in the poor. He no longer was a son of privilege, but embraced a life of poverty. I could not help but think of St. Francis when I read at the beginning of the gospel (Mark 1:14-20) the words of Jesus, The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel. Jesus is calling us to a change in our lives, like he called Francis and made him a saint. Just as Jesus called Simon and Andrew, and James and John he called Francis and he calls us! He call us to, Repent, and believe in the gospel his gospel (=Good News) of life and love, or forgiveness and compassion, of justice and peace. Too easily we may think, God isnt calling me, or Im not good enough. Too easily we can convince ourselves that we cannot respond to God and the fullness of life that he offers to us. The First Reading from the Book of the Prophet Jonah (3:1-5, 10) shows the power of God when we turn our hearts to him. Jonah, like most of the prophets, did not want to be a prophet because it meant announcing what the people thought was bad news. God inspired the prophet to call the people to conversion, to call them back to the covenant. They didnt want to hear that, because it meant changing their lives. Jonah was convinced that his mission to Nineveh was a waste of time. He knew the people of Nineveh were hardened sinners, and that they would not repent, and would probably run him out of town, beat him up, or even kill him. He tried to run the other way, but God would not allow him to escape his mission. He went to Nineveh and preached his message, and much to his surprise they listened and they obeyed. They repented of their sins, fasted and did penance. He never expected that. But Gods grace was at work, and the people of Nineveh took seriously his call to repentance. They were saved from the destruction God had threatened. They had a second chance. With such a dramatic account of conversion of a whole city how can we doubt the power of God to help us hear and respond to his call to us tonight/today, Repent, and believe in the gospel? Like in the life of St. Francis of Assisi, this conversion leads to discipleship. The call of Jesus to Peter and Andrew and James and John led to discipleship. Once we

have heard Gods call and been obedient to his call we enter into a new relationship with Jesus. By following his call we are choosing to leave behind our old ways of thinking, feeling, speaking, acting and deciding to take on a new way of thinking, feeling speaking, acting and deciding the way of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. We are turning FROM something TO someone Jesus. We are choosing to embrace a new relationship with Jesus, recognizing that without him and the grace of his salvation we will not live the life that we were called to live, that we will not be happy, and that, for sure, we will not be holy. In a sense it is like we admit to Jesus, to ourselves, and to others that we are leaving behind the past to embrace a new future, that we were wrong, and that now we are right, that we have abandoned a life of sin to embrace a life of grace. The reading, even the Second Reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians (7:29-31) have a sense of urgency. Paul says, The time is running out. I am sure that those are not the words we want to hear! Too easily we can think This message to repent and follow Jesus is not for me, or I will get around to it someday. The time is now and this is another occasion that God is using to reach out to us and bring us to himself. He wants to fill us with his life, but sometimes we are putting it off, perhaps thinking that we can reach the same results without conversion, without change, without doing things differently. Life does not work that way. With that attitude we are only putting more obstacles in the way of the Lord to transform us the way he did Francis of Assisi and so many other saints, the way he did to these first disciples Peter and Andrew and James and John. Perhaps we may say to ourselves I have already done that, but our lives do not reflect the fullness of Gods life so we are called to renew ourselves and listen anew to the call of God to conversion and discipleship. Perhaps we may say to ourselves I have already tried it, and it didnt work. After hearing again that reading from the Book of the Prophet Jonah, how can we possibly believe that God will NOT act in us if we sincerely turn to him and wish to convert and follow him? If God could turn the heart of the sinners of Nineveh, against all odds (according to Jonah), how can we not believe that his grace will not be ours if we sincerely turn to him NOW and believe the words of Jesus, Repent, and believe the gospel.?