Daily Readings - Wed Mar 09 2022
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 two powerful stories that invite us to reflect on repentance, humility, and the mercy of God. The first reading from Jonah recounts the prophet’s mission to Nineveh, a city steeped in sin. Despite Jonah’s initial reluctance, he obeys God’s call and preaches a message of repentance. The people of Nineveh, from the king to the lowest citizen, respond with profound humility, fasting, and sackcloth. Their conversion is so genuine that God spares the city from destruction. This story reminds us that no one is beyond the reach of God’s mercy, and that true repentance can lead to forgiveness and new life.
In the Gospel, Jesus draws a connection between Jonah’s mission and His own. He tells the crowd that just as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so too is the Son of Man a sign to this generation. Jesus emphasizes that the people of Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah, and the queen of the South came from afar to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Yet, Jesus says, “more than Jonah is here” and “more than Solomon is here.” This is a call to recognize the greater wisdom and grace present in Jesus Himself. The people of Nineveh and the queen of the South will rise up at the judgment to condemn the current generation because they failed to recognize and respond to the greater sign in their midst.
These readings challenge us to examine our own response to God’s call. Like the people of Nineveh, we are called to humility and repentance. Like Jonah, we are called to trust in God’s mercy and to share His message with others. Jesus invites us to recognize the wisdom and grace that is present in our lives and to respond with openness and faith. Let us ask ourselves: Are we willing to let go of our sins and turn to God? Do we recognize the signs of God’s presence in our lives? May we, like the people of Nineveh, embrace repentance and experience the boundless mercy of God.