Daily Readings - Wed Mar 09 2022
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 two powerful stories that invite us to reflect on repentance, humility, and the mercy of God. The first reading from Jonah recounts the prophet’s mission to Nineveh, a city steeped in sin. Despite Jonah’s initial reluctance, he obeys God’s call and preaches a message of repentance. The people of Nineveh, from the king to the lowest citizen, respond with profound humility, fasting, and sackcloth. Their conversion is so genuine that God spares the city from destruction. This story reminds us that no one is beyond the reach of God’s mercy, and that true repentance can lead to forgiveness and new life.
In the Gospel, Jesus draws a connection between Jonah’s mission and His own. He tells the crowd that just as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so too is the Son of Man a sign to this generation. Jesus emphasizes that the people of Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah, and the queen of the South came from afar to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Yet, Jesus says, “more than Jonah is here” and “more than Solomon is here.” This is a call to recognize the greater wisdom and grace present in Jesus Himself. The people of Nineveh and the queen of the South will rise up at the judgment to condemn the current generation because they failed to recognize and respond to the greater sign in their midst.
These readings challenge us to examine our own response to God’s call. Like the people of Nineveh, we are called to humility and repentance. Like Jonah, we are called to trust in God’s mercy and to share His message with others. Jesus invites us to recognize the wisdom and grace that is present in our lives and to respond with openness and faith. Let us ask ourselves: Are we willing to let go of our sins and turn to God? Do we recognize the signs of God’s presence in our lives? May we, like the people of Nineveh, embrace repentance and experience the boundless mercy of God.