Daily Readings - Wed Feb 24 2021
Jonah
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
Luke
29Then, as the crowds were quickly gathering, he began to say: "This generation is a wicked generation: it seeks a sign. But no sign will be given to it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah30For just as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of man be to this generation31The queen of the South will rise up, at the judgment, with the men of this generation, and she will condemn them. For she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And behold, more than Solomon is here32The men of Nineveh will rise up, at the judgment, with this generation, and they will condemn it. For at the preaching of Jonah, they repented. And behold, more than Jonah is here
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful messages about repentance and faith. The first reading from Jonah recounts how the prophet Jonah, after initial reluctance, preached to the people of Nineveh, urging them to repent. The Ninevites, from the king to the lowest citizen, responded swiftly with fasting and sackcloth, demonstrating their sincerity. This swift repentance moved God to spare the city, showcasing the transformative power of genuine remorse.
In the Gospel, Jesus addresses a crowd seeking signs, referencing Jonah's experience. He highlights that while Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, He Himself is an even greater sign to the current generation. Jesus also mentions the queen of the South, who traveled far to hear Solomon's wisdom, contrasting her eagerness with the crowd's reluctance to recognize God's presence among them. Jesus emphasizes that the Ninevites and the queen will judge this generation for its failure to repent despite the greater sign of His presence.
These readings remind us of the importance of responding to God's call without waiting for signs. Like the Ninevites, we should be quick to repent and open to God's message. In our daily lives, this means being attentive to God's voice, whether through scripture, prayer, or the teachings of the Church. Let us embrace a spirit of repentance and faith, trusting in God's mercy and grace. May we not require miracles to believe, but instead, may our hearts be receptive to the divine call, leading us to a life of purpose and holiness.