Daily Readings - Wed Oct 08 2025
Jonah
1But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry.2He prayed to the LORD, "O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.3Now, O LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live."4But the LORD replied, "Have you any right to be angry?"5Jonah went out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city.6Then the LORD God provided a vine and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the vine.7But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the vine so that it withered.8When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah's head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, "It would be better for me to die than to live."9But God said to Jonah, "Do you have a right to be angry about the vine?I do," he said. "I am angry enough to die."10But the LORD said, "You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight.11But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?"
Luke
1One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."2He said to them, "When you pray, say: "'Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.3Give us each day our daily bread.4Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation. '"
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful lessons about prayer, trust, and God’s mercy. The first reading from Jonah finds the prophet in a state of anguish and anger. Jonah is upset because the plant that provided him shade has withered, and he feels justified in his frustration. Yet, God uses this moment to teach Jonah about compassion and the value of life. God reminds Jonah that he grieved over a plant he did not even cultivate, while God himself is merciful toward the entire city of Nineveh, sparing its people and animals from destruction. This exchange reveals Jonah’s limited understanding of God’s boundless mercy and his own lack of compassion.
The Gospel reading from Luke offers us a different perspective on prayer. Jesus teaches his disciples the Lord’s Prayer, a model of humility and trust in God’s providence. The prayer emphasizes the importance of seeking God’s will, asking for daily bread, and forgiving others as we seek forgiveness. It also invites us to ask for the strength to resist temptation. This prayer is not just a formula but a way of life, teaching us to approach God with confidence and surrender, trusting that he knows what we need even before we ask.
Both readings invite us to reflect on our relationship with God and our neighbors. Jonah’s story challenges us to examine our own attitudes toward others and to grow in compassion, recognizing that God’s mercy extends far beyond our limited perspectives. The Lord’s Prayer, on the other hand, reminds us that prayer is not just about asking for things but about aligning our hearts with God’s will. Together, these readings call us to trust in God’s plan, to pray with humility, and to live with mercy and forgiveness toward all. Let us strive to cultivate these virtues in our daily lives, trusting that God’s ways are always greater than our own.