Daily Readings - Wed Oct 11 2023
Jonah
1But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.2And he prayed to the LORD and said, "O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.3Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live."4And the LORD said, "Do you do well to be angry?"5Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city.6Now the LORD God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant.7But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered.8When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, "It is better for me to die than to live."9But God said to Jonah, "Do you do well to be angry for the plant?" And he said, "Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die."10And the LORD said, "You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night.11And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?"
Luke
1Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples."2And he said to them, "When you pray, say: "Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.3Give us each day our daily bread,4and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is 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.