Daily Readings - Mon Oct 09 2017
First Reading - Jonah 1.1 – 2.1, 10
Jonah
Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee.So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows.Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly,And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.
Gospel - Luke 10.25-37
Luke
And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound stories that invite us to reflect on our response to God's call and our treatment of others. The first reading from Jonah recounts the prophet's initial reluctance to fulfill God's mission to Nineveh. Jonah's attempt to flee by sea leads to a tempest, and his eventual surrender to God's will results in his famous journey inside a great fish. This narrative underscores God's persistence and the importance of heeding divine calls, even when they challenge our comfort or understanding.
The Gospel presents Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan, which expands our understanding of neighborly love. When a lawyer asks Jesus about eternal life, Jesus redirects him to the law of love and then illustrates it through the parable. The Samaritan, unlike the priest and Levite, shows compassion to a stranger in need, demonstrating that true neighborliness transcends cultural and religious boundaries. This parable emphasizes that loving our neighbor is not merely a feeling but a call to action, requiring us to step out of our comfort zones to serve others.
Both readings challenge us to reflect on our own responses to God's voice and our interactions with others. Like Jonah, we may sometimes resist God's call, but His grace is ever-present, offering us another chance to follow His will. Similarly, the Good Samaritan reminds us that love for our neighbor is not passive but active, requiring us to see and respond to the needs around us. As we navigate our daily lives, may we be attentive to God's whispers and generous in our compassion, living out our faith through both listening and doing.