Daily Readings - Wed Oct 11 2023
Jonah
1And Jonah was afflicted with a great affliction, and he was angry2And he prayed to the Lord, and he said, "I beg you, Lord, was this not my word, when I was still in my own land? Because of this, I knew beforehand to flee into Tarshish. For I know that you are a lenient and merciful God, patient and great in compassion, and forgiving despite ill will3And now, Lord, I ask you to take my life from me. For it is better for me to die than to live.4And the Lord said, "Do you really think you are right to be angry?5And Jonah went out of the city, and he sat opposite the east of the city. And he made himself a shelter there, and he was sitting under it in the shadow, until he might see what would befall the city6And the Lord God prepared an ivy, and it ascended over the head of Jonah so as to be a shadow over his head, and to protect him (for he had labored hard). And Jonah rejoiced because of the ivy, with great rejoicing7And God prepared a worm, when dawn approached on the next day, and it struck the ivy, and it dried up8And when the sun had risen, the Lord ordered a hot and burning wind. And the sun beat down on the head of Jonah, and he burned. And he petitioned for his soul that he might die, and he said, "It is better for me to die than to live.9And the Lord said to Jonah, "Do you really think that you are right to be angry because of the ivy?" And he said, "I am right to be angry even unto death.10And the Lord said, "You grieve for the ivy, for which you have not labored and which you did not cause to grow, though it had been born during one night, and during one night perished11And shall I not spare Nineveh, the great city, in which there are more than one hundred and twenty thousand men, who do not know the difference between their right and their left, and many beasts?
Luke
1And it happened that, while he was in a certain place praying, when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.2And he said to them: "When you are praying, say: Father, may your name be kept holy. May your kingdom come3Give us this day our daily bread4And forgive us our sins, since we also forgive all who are indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on prayer, trust in God’s plan, and the call to compassion. In the first reading from Jonah, we see the prophet’s struggle with anger and disappointment. Jonah is upset because the plant that provided him shade has withered, and he feels justified in his anger. God, however, uses this moment to teach Jonah a deeper lesson about mercy and compassion. While Jonah grieved over a plant he did not even cultivate, God spared the vast city of Nineveh, filled with people and animals who did not know right from wrong. This exchange highlights God’s patience and mercy, even in the face of human stubbornness.
In the Gospel, Luke presents Jesus teaching his disciples how to pray. The Lord’s Prayer is a model of humility, trust, and forgiveness. Jesus emphasizes that prayer is not about reciting formulas but about surrendering to God’s will, seeking daily bread, and asking for forgiveness as we forgive others. This teaching reminds us that prayer is a dialogue of love and trust, where we acknowledge God’s holiness and providence while also expressing our dependence on Him.
Both readings challenge us to examine our relationship with God and others. Jonah’s story reminds us that God’s ways are not our ways, and His mercy often exceeds our limited understanding. The Lord’s Prayer teaches us to approach God with humility and to live out our faith through forgiveness and trust. In our daily lives, let us strive to surrender our will to God’s plan, even when it is difficult, and to cultivate compassion for others, just as God has shown compassion to us. May our prayers reflect a deep trust in His providence and a commitment to living as instruments of His mercy.