Gospel (Mk 1,14-20) - After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee preaching the gospel of God and saying: «The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is near; convert and believe in the gospel." Passing along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon's brother, casting their nets into the sea; they were in fact fishermen. Jesus said to them: "Follow me, I will make you become fishers of men." And immediately, leaving their nets, they followed him. Going a little further, he also saw James of Zebedee and his brother John on the boat while they were mending the nets. He called them. And they, leaving their father Zebedee on the boat with the boys, followed him.

The commentary on the Gospel by Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia

This Monday begins the first of the thirty-four weeks called "Ordinary Time", in which the liturgy will make us meditate on the Gospel according to Mark. It is the first Gospel to have been written and begins directly with the narrative of Jesus' public life. Mark notes that Jesus went to Galilee after John had been arrested. The prophetic word that announced a new time was as if chained. From this very moment, Jesus decides to start traveling the roads of his land to announce the "good news" to everyone. It is the first time that the term "Gospel", or "good news", appears. In fact, it is not an abstract word that is pronounced and then vanishes in the fog of men's forgetfulness. The Gospel is Jesus himself. He is the good news to believe and to communicate to men so that they entrust their lives to him. Jesus, with his words and works, shows that the kingdom of love has arrived among men. With him begins a new story of love and friendship in human history. This is the "good news" that men can now hear. Whoever listens to it and makes it their own changes their life. The history of Christian preaching takes its first steps here. And the first fruits can immediately be seen. Jesus, while walking on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, sees Simon and Andrew, two fishermen brothers, and immediately invites them to follow him: "Come after me, I will make you become fishers of men". The two, although busy rearranging the nets, without delay, welcome the invitation and follow it. This first scene summarizes the entire history of the following of the disciples of all times. In fact, in every generation, including ours, the Lord passes by and calls men and women to follow him. And he doesn't stop. Continuing to walk on the shore of Lake Tiberias, Jesus meets two other brothers, James and John. He calls them too. And they, after listening to him, leave the nets and follow him. It is the beginning of the new brotherhood established by Jesus and which continues today on the same path of listening and obedience.