Daily Readings - Wed Oct 11 2023
Jonah
1But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.2And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.3Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.4Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry?5So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city.6And the LORD God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.7But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered.8And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.9And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.10Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night:11And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?
Luke
1And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.2And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.3Give us day by day our daily bread.4And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
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.