Daily Readings - Tue Oct 10 2017

First Reading - Jonah 3.1-10

¹And the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying²Rise, and go to Nineveh, the great city. And preach in it the preaching that I say to you³And Jonah rose, and he went to Nineveh in accordance with the word of the Lord. And Nineveh was a great city of three days’ journey⁴And Jonah began to enter into the city one day’s journey. And he cried out and said, "Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed.⁵And the men of Nineveh believed in God. And they proclaimed a fast, and they put on sackcloth, from the greatest all the way to the least⁶And word reached the king of Nineveh. And he rose from his throne, and he threw off his robe from himself and was clothed in sackcloth, and he sat in ashes⁷And he cried out and spoke: "In Nineveh, from the mouth of the king and of his princes, let it be said: Men and beasts and oxen and sheep may not taste anything. Neither shall they feed or drink water⁸And let men and beasts be covered with sackcloth, and let them cry out to the Lord with strength, and may man be converted from his evil way, and from the iniquity that is in their hands⁹Who knows if God may turn and forgive, and may turn away from his furious wrath, so that we might not perish?¹⁰And God saw their works, that they had been converted from their evil way. And God took pity on them, concerning the harm that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it

Gospel - Luke 10.38-42

Luke

Chapter 10

³⁸Now it happened that, while they were traveling, he entered into a certain town. And a certain woman, named Martha, received him into her home³⁹And she had a sister, named Mary, who, while sitting beside the Lord’s feet, was listening to his word⁴⁰Now Martha was continually busying herself with serving. And she stood still and said: "Lord, is it not a concern to you that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore, speak to her, so that she may help me.⁴¹And the Lord responded by saying to her: "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled over many things⁴²And yet only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the best portion, and it shall not be taken away from her.

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of repentance, mercy, and the importance of prioritizing our relationship with God. In the first reading from Jonah, we see the people of Nineveh responding to Jonah’s warning with immediate repentance. They fast, wear sackcloth, and cry out to God, trusting in his mercy. This dramatic change of heart moves God to spare the city, showing us that true repentance leads to forgiveness and salvation. The reading reminds us that God is always ready to forgive when we turn to him with sincere hearts. In the Gospel, we encounter Martha and Mary, two sisters who represent two different ways of living the Christian life. Martha is consumed by her duties, anxious about serving and ensuring everything is perfect. Mary, on the other hand, chooses to sit at Jesus’ feet, listening to his words. Jesus gently rebukes Martha, not because service is unimportant, but because she has allowed her busyness to distract her from what truly matters: being present to God. Mary’s choice to prioritize time with Jesus teaches us that our spiritual lives must come first; everything else flows from that relationship. Together, these readings call us to examine our own lives. Like the people of Nineveh, we are called to repentance—to turn away from sin and toward God with humility and trust. Like Mary, we are invited to create space in our lives for prayer, reflection, and intimacy with God. In a world that often values productivity and activity, these readings remind us that our ultimate priority should be our relationship with God. Let us strive to balance our actions with contemplation, trusting that when we seek God first, everything else will fall into place.