Daily Readings - Mon Oct 09 2023
Jonah
1The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai:2"Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me."3But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD.4Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up.5All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep.6The captain went to him and said, "How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us, and we will not perish."7Then the sailors said to each other, "Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity." They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.8So they asked him, "Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?"9He answered, "I am a Hebrew and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land."10This terrified them and they asked, "What have you done?" (They knew he was running away from the LORD, because he had already told them so.)11The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, "What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?"12"Pick me up and throw me into the sea," he replied, "and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you."13Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before.14Then they cried to the LORD, "O LORD, please do not let us die for taking this man's life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, O LORD, have done as you pleased."15Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm.16At this the men greatly feared the LORD, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows to him.17But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.
Luke
25On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"26"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"27He answered: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"28"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."29But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"30In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.31A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.32So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.33But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him.35The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'36"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"37The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do 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.