Daily Readings - Wed Mar 04 2020
Jonah
1Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time:2"Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you."3Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city-a visit required three days.4On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned."5The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.6When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust.7Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh: "By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink.8But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence.9Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish."10When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.
Luke
29As the crowds increased, Jesus said, "This is a wicked generation. It asks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.30For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation.31The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here.32The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful messages of repentance and divine mercy. The first reading from Jonah recounts the prophet's mission to Nineveh, where he calls the people to repentance. The Ninevites, from the king to the lowest citizen, respond with humility and fasting, moving God to spare their city. This story highlights the transformative power of repentance and God's willingness to forgive.
In the Gospel, Jesus addresses a crowd, criticizing their demand for a sign. He references Jonah, noting that the Ninevites repented at Jonah's preaching, whereas the current generation has the greater sign of the Son of Man. Jesus emphasizes that those who fail to repent will be condemned by the examples of the queen of the South and the Ninevites, who responded faithfully to lesser revelations. This underscores the importance of recognizing and responding to God's presence in our lives.
These readings invite us to reflect on our own response to God's call. Like the Ninevites, we are called to humility and repentance. In our daily lives, we must remain open to God's signs and messages, whether through scripture, prayer, or the church. Let us embrace the urgency of repentance, not out of fear, but out of love for God. May we, like the Ninevites, turn to the Lord with sincerity, trusting in His mercy and grace.