Daily Readings - Wed Mar 13 2019
Jonah
1Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying,2"Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you."3So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days' journey in breadth.4Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's journey. And he called out, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!"5And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.6The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.7And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, "By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water,8but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands.9Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish."10When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.
Luke
29When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, "This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.30For as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.31The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.32The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of repentance, mercy, and faith. In the first reading, Jonah is called by God to preach to the people of Nineveh, a city known for its wickedness. Jonah’s message is simple and direct: "Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed." Yet, the people of Nineveh, from the greatest to the least, respond with faith. They fast, put on sackcloth, and cry out to God for mercy. Their repentance moves God to spare the city, showing His compassion and willingness to forgive those who turn from their sins. This story highlights the power of repentance and God’s infinite mercy.
In the Gospel, Jesus draws a parallel between the people of Nineveh and His own generation. He notes that while the Ninevites repented at the preaching of Jonah, His generation seeks a sign, refusing to believe even though "more than Jonah is here." Jesus emphasizes that the Queen of the South and the people of Nineveh will rise at the judgment to condemn His generation because they failed to recognize the greater wisdom and sign in their midst. This passage challenges us to examine our own response to God’s call. Are we open to the signs and teachings we have been given, or do we stubbornly resist them?
These readings call us to reflect on our own lives. Like the people of Nineveh, we are called to repentance and conversion. God is always ready to forgive and show mercy, but we must be willing to turn away from sin and toward Him. Let us not be like the generation that rejected Jesus, but rather let us embrace the grace and wisdom He offers. May we, like the Ninevites, respond with faith and humility, trusting in God’s love and mercy.