Daily Catholic Mass Readings for March 1, 2023

Psalm 51

¹Unto the end. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he went to Bathsheba. Be merciful to me, O God, according to your great mercy. And, according to the plentitude of your compassion, wipe out my iniquity²Wash me once again from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin³For I know my iniquity, and my sin is ever before me⁴Against you only have I sinned, and I have done evil before your eyes. And so, you are justified in your words, and you will prevail when you give judgment⁵For behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sinfulness did my mother conceive me⁶For behold, you have loved truth. The obscure and hidden things of your wisdom, you have manifested to me⁷You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed. You will wash me, and I will be made whiter than snow⁸In my hearing, you will grant gladness and rejoicing. And the bones that have been humbled will exult⁹Turn your face away from my sins, and erase all my iniquities¹⁰Create a clean heart in me, O God. And renew an upright spirit within my inmost being¹¹Do not cast me away from your face; and do not take your Holy Spirit from me¹²Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and confirm me with an unsurpassed spirit¹³I will teach the unjust your ways, and the impious will be converted to you¹⁴Free me from blood, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue will extol your justice¹⁵O Lord, you will open my lips, and my mouth will announce your praise¹⁶For if you had desired sacrifice, I would certainly have given it, but with holocausts, you will not be delighted¹⁷A crushed spirit is a sacrifice to God. A contrite and humbled heart, O God, you will not spurn¹⁸Act kindly, Lord, in your good will toward Zion, so that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up¹⁹Then you will accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations, and holocausts. Then they will lay calves upon your altar

Gospel: Luke 11.29-32

Luke

Chapter 11

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

The Gospel passage today is a powerful reminder of the importance of faith and repentance. Jesus speaks to a crowd that is seeking a sign, a way to test His authenticity. He tells them that no sign will be given, except the sign of Jonah, referencing the prophet who called the people of Nineveh to repentance. Jesus then contrasts the current generation with those who responded to Jonah’s preaching and the queen of the South who sought Solomon’s wisdom. He emphasizes that the current generation has been given something greater than Jonah and Solomon—Himself—and yet they still resist believing. This passage is set in the context of Jesus’ ministry, where He is being tested by the Pharisees and the crowd. They are seeking a sign, not out of genuine faith, but to challenge His authority. Jesus’ response is a call to recognize the signs that are already present—in His teachings, miracles, and presence among them. The people of Nineveh and the queen of the South serve as examples of those who responded with faith and humility to the wisdom and message they received. Jesus is calling His audience, and us, to a similar response. In our daily lives, we often find ourselves seeking signs or assurances before fully committing to God. We might question His presence or doubt His plan for us. But Jesus reminds us that He is the ultimate sign, the revelation of God’s love and wisdom. Like the queen of the South and the people of Nineveh, we are called to repentance and faith. Let us not harden our hearts but instead open ourselves to the truth that is already before us. May we respond with humility and trust, recognizing the greatness of what God has given us in Jesus Christ.