Daily Readings - Tue Oct 10 2023
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
38As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.39She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said.40But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"41"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things,42but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of conversion, discernment, and the importance of prioritizing our relationship with God. In the first reading, Jonah is sent to the city of Nineveh to call its people to repentance. Though Jonah initially resisted this mission, he eventually obeyed, and his message moved the entire city, from the king to the lowest citizen, to turn away from sin. The Ninevites’ dramatic conversion shows us the power of repentance and the mercy of God, who is always ready to forgive those who return to him with sincere hearts.
In the Gospel, we encounter Martha and Mary, two sisters who represent two different ways of responding to God’s presence. Martha is consumed by her busyness in serving, while Mary chooses to sit at Jesus’ feet, listening to his word. Jesus gently reminds Martha that while service is good, it is not the only thing. Mary’s choice to prioritize time with the Lord is presented as the “better part,” one that will not be taken away from her. This passage challenges us to examine our own lives and ensure that we are not so distracted by worldly concerns that we neglect the one thing necessary: a deep, personal relationship with God.
These readings remind us that true conversion involves both action and contemplation. Like the Ninevites, we must turn away from sin and seek God’s mercy. Like Mary, we must create space in our lives to listen to God’s voice and prioritize what truly matters. As we go about our daily lives, let us ask ourselves: Are we too busy to hear God’s call? Are we willing to let go of distractions and choose the better part? May we, like Mary, find joy and fulfillment in sitting at the feet of the Lord, and may we, like the Ninevites, experience the transformative power of repentance and God’s boundless mercy.