Daily Readings - Mon Oct 06 2025
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 narratives that invite us to reflect on our relationship with God and our neighbor. The first reading from Jonah recounts the prophet's reluctant journey. Jonah, called by God to preach to the people of Nineveh, attempts to flee, but his escape is thwarted by a tempest. Recognizing his disobedience, Jonah accepts responsibility and is swallowed by a great fish, only to be spared and ultimately fulfill his mission. This story underscores God's relentless pursuit of us and the transformative power of obedience.
The Gospel presents Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan, a timeless lesson on love and compassion. When a legal expert asks Jesus about eternal life, Jesus directs him to the law of love—loving God and neighbor. The parable challenges us to redefine who our neighbor is, not limited by familiarity or affection, but by our willingness to act with mercy. The Samaritan, often seen as an outcast, becomes the exemplar of true neighborliness through his selfless care for a stranger in need.
These readings intertwine beautifully, as both Jonah and the Samaritan illustrate responses to God's call. Jonah, though initially resistant, ultimately embraces his mission, while the Samaritan embodies the love and compassion that define a life lived in accordance with God's will. They remind us that our faith is not merely about belief but about action—loving God and neighbor with our whole being. In our daily lives, may we, like the Samaritan, be moved by mercy, and may we, like Jonah, embrace the call to serve, trusting in God's grace to transform us and the world around us.