Daily Readings - Mon Oct 04 2021
Jonah
1Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,2"Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me."3But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went on board, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.4But the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up.5Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep.6So the captain came and said to him, "What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call out to your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us, that we may not perish."7And they said to one another, "Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us." So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.8Then they said to him, "Tell us on whose account this evil has come upon us. What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?"9And he said to them, "I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land."10Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, "What is this that you have done!" For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.11Then they said to him, "What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?" For the sea grew more and more tempestuous.12He said to them, "Pick me up and hurl me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you, for I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you."13Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them.14Therefore they called out to the LORD, "O LORD, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not on us innocent blood, for you, O LORD, have done as it pleased you."15So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging.16Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.17And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
Luke
25And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"26He said to him, "What is written in the Law? How do you read it?"27And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself."28And he said to him, "You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live."29But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"30Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead.31Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.32So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.33But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.34He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.35And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.'36Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?"37He said, "The one who showed him mercy." And Jesus said to him, "You go, and do likewise."
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound stories that invite us to reflect on our relationship with God and our neighbors. The Book of Jonah narrates the prophet Jonah's attempt to flee from God's command to preach to the people of Nineveh. His reluctance leads to a tumultuous journey, culminating in a great storm and his eventual swallowing by a large fish. This dramatic sequence underscores the futility of resisting God's will and highlights the divine mercy that allows Jonah a second chance. The story of Jonah reminds us that God's call is persistent and that our obedience, though sometimes reluctant, is essential to fulfilling His plan.
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus presents the parable of the Good Samaritan, a timeless lesson on the essence of love and compassion. When a legal expert asks Jesus about achieving eternal life, Jesus redirects the question, leading the man to acknowledge the importance of loving God and neighbor. The parable challenges the boundaries of who we consider our neighbor, emphasizing that love knows no borders of ethnicity, religion, or social status. The Samaritan's selfless act of kindness towards a stranger in need exemplifies the active love that Jesus calls us to embrace.
Both stories invite us to examine our own responses to God's call and our treatment of others. Like Jonah, we may sometimes resist or hesitate to follow God's path, but His mercy is ever-present, offering us opportunities to align our will with His. Similarly, the parable of the Good Samaritan calls us to look beyond our comfort zones and societal divisions to embrace everyone as our neighbor. Let us reflect on how we can be more attentive to God's voice and more compassionate towards those around us, especially those in need. May we, like the Good Samaritan, act with mercy and love, living out the commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves.