Daily Readings - Mon Oct 09 2023
Jonah
1Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,2Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.3But 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.4But 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.5Then 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.6So 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.7And 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.8Then 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?9And 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.10Then 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.11Then 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.12And 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.13Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.14Wherefore 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.15So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.16Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows.17Now 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.
Luke
25And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?26He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?27And 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.28And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.29But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?30And 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.31And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.32And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.33But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,34And 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.35And 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.36Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?37And 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 powerful stories that invite us to reflect on our relationship with God and our neighbors. The first reading from Jonah recounts the prophet’s attempt to flee from God’s call to preach to the people of Nineveh. Jonah’s reluctance leads to a dramatic storm at sea, which subsides only when he acknowledges God’s will and is cast into the water. The Lord’s mercy is evident as Jonah is saved by a great fish, symbolizing God’s patience and desire to bring all people to repentance. The second reading, the parable of the Good Samaritan, challenges us to rethink our understanding of neighborliness. Jesus teaches that being a neighbor is not about geography or association but about showing compassion and mercy to those in need, even to those we might consider strangers or enemies.
Both readings emphasize the importance of responding to God’s call and living out our faith in concrete actions. Jonah’s story reminds us that we cannot escape God’s will, and that His mercy is always available, even in our moments of rebellion. The parable of the Good Samaritan, on the other hand, calls us to move beyond our comfort zones and biases to love others as God loves us. These two readings are connected by the theme of mercy—God’s mercy toward Jonah and the Samaritan’s mercy toward the wounded traveler. They remind us that our faith must be expressed in acts of love and compassion.
As we apply these readings to our daily lives, let us ask ourselves: Am I listening to God’s voice and responding to His call, even when it is uncomfortable? Am I willing to go out of my way to help those in need, regardless of their background or circumstances? The moral lesson is clear: our faith must be lived out in obedience to God’s will and in selfless love for others. May we, like the Good Samaritan, be moved by mercy to care for one another, and may we, like Jonah, turn back to God with humility and trust in His divine plan.