Daily Catholic Mass Readings for March 12, 2025
First Reading: Jonah 3.1-10
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.
Psalm 51
1Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.2Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.3For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.4Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.5Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.6Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.7Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.8Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.9Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.10Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.11Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.12Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.13Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.14Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.15O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.16You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.18In your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.19Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight you; then bulls will be offered on your altar.
Gospel: Luke 11.29-32
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, mercy, and faith. In the first reading, Jonah, after initial reluctance, obeys God's call to preach to the people of Nineveh. His message of impending doom prompts the entire city, from the king to the common people, to repent. Their sincere repentance moves God to spare the city, illustrating His boundless mercy and the power of genuine conversion.
In the Gospel, Jesus draws a parallel between Jonah's mission and His own. He critiques the generation for seeking signs while ignoring the profound message He brings. The people of Nineveh and the queen of the South, who sought wisdom, serve as examples of those who recognized and responded to God's presence. Jesus highlights that while His generation has the ultimate sign in Him, they fail to repent, unlike the Ninevites who had only Jonah's warning.
These readings challenge us to examine our response to God's call. Like the Ninevites, we are urged to embrace humility and repentance, recognizing God's mercy. In our daily lives, this means being open to conversion and not taking God's presence for granted. The spiritual reflection here is clear: repentance and humility are essential for a deep, transformative relationship with God. Let us, like the people of Nineveh, turn to God with sincerity, trusting in His mercy and grace.