Daily Readings - Wed Feb 24 2021
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
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.