Daily Readings - Wed Feb 21 2024
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
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of repentance, divine mercy, and the call to conversion. In the first reading, Jonah, after initial reluctance, obeys God’s command to preach to the people of Nineveh. His message of impending doom strikes their hearts, leading the entire city, from the king to the lowest citizen, to repent. They fast, wear sackcloth, and cry out to God, who, seeing their sincerity, spares them from destruction. This story underscores God’s mercy and the power of repentance.
In the Gospel, Jesus draws a parallel between Jonah and Himself. He tells the crowds that just as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so too will the Son of Man be a sign to their generation. Jesus critiques the crowd for seeking signs while missing the greater wisdom and presence of God among them. He references the queen of the South, who traveled far to hear Solomon’s wisdom, and the Ninevites, who repented at Jonah’s preaching, suggesting that this generation should recognize the greater wisdom and sign in His presence. Both readings emphasize the importance of responding to God’s call and the transformative power of repentance.
These readings challenge us to examine our own lives. How often do we ignore God’s calls to change our ways? How many signs do we need before we turn to Him? Like the Ninevites, we are called to sincere repentance and conversion. Let us not harden our hearts but instead open ourselves to God’s mercy and grace. May we, like the people of Nineveh, turn away from sin and embrace a life of faith and obedience, trusting in God’s loving forgiveness.