Daily Readings - Wed Feb 24 2021
Jonah
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.
Luke
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
In today's readings, we encounter powerful messages about repentance and faith. The first reading from Jonah recounts how the prophet Jonah, after initial reluctance, preached to the people of Nineveh, urging them to repent. The Ninevites, from the king to the lowest citizen, responded swiftly with fasting and sackcloth, demonstrating their sincerity. This swift repentance moved God to spare the city, showcasing the transformative power of genuine remorse.
In the Gospel, Jesus addresses a crowd seeking signs, referencing Jonah's experience. He highlights that while Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, He Himself is an even greater sign to the current generation. Jesus also mentions the queen of the South, who traveled far to hear Solomon's wisdom, contrasting her eagerness with the crowd's reluctance to recognize God's presence among them. Jesus emphasizes that the Ninevites and the queen will judge this generation for its failure to repent despite the greater sign of His presence.
These readings remind us of the importance of responding to God's call without waiting for signs. Like the Ninevites, we should be quick to repent and open to God's message. In our daily lives, this means being attentive to God's voice, whether through scripture, prayer, or the teachings of the Church. Let us embrace a spirit of repentance and faith, trusting in God's mercy and grace. May we not require miracles to believe, but instead, may our hearts be receptive to the divine call, leading us to a life of purpose and holiness.