Daily Catholic Mass Readings for February 21, 2018
First Reading: Jonah 3.1-10
1And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying,2Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.3So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey.4And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.5So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.6For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.7And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water:8But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.9Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?10And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.
Psalm 51
1Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.2Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.3For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.4Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.5Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.6Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.7Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.8Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.9Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.10Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.11Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.12Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.13Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.14Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.15O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.16For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.18Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.19Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.
Gospel: Luke 11.29-32
29And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.30For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.31The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.32The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of repentance, faith, and the call to conversion. In the first reading from Jonah, we see the prophet Jonah, who, after initial resistance, obeys God’s command to preach to the people of Nineveh. The Ninevites, upon hearing Jonah’s warning of impending judgment, immediately repent. They fast, wear sackcloth, and cry out to God for mercy. Their actions demonstrate a deep faith and a willingness to change their ways. God, seeing their sincerity, spares the city from destruction. This story highlights the power of repentance and God’s mercy.
In the Gospel, Jesus draws a parallel between Jonah and himself. He tells the crowd that no sign will be given to their generation except the sign of Jonah, referencing how Jonah’s preaching led to the repentance of the Ninevites. Jesus then contrasts this with the current generation, which, despite witnessing greater wisdom and miracles through him, remains hardened in sin. The queen of the South and the people of Nineveh, who repented at the preaching of Jonah, will rise up at the judgment to condemn this generation for its lack of faith. Jesus’ words challenge us to examine our own response to God’s call and to recognize the signs of grace that are present in our lives.
These readings remind us that faith is not about seeking signs or waiting for perfect conditions to act. Rather, it is about responding to God’s invitation with humility and openness. Like the Ninevites, we are called to repentance and to trust in God’s mercy. In our daily lives, this means being honest about our sins, seeking forgiveness, and living in a way that reflects our commitment to God. Let us not harden our hearts but instead allow the Word of God to transform us. True faith leads to action, and our actions reveal the depth of our conversion. May we, like the people of Nineveh, turn to God with sincerity and experience the richness of his love and forgiveness.