February 20, 2013

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Wednesday of the First Week in Lent
Lectionary: 226

Yesterday we were in the book of Isaiah.  Today, we skip to the book of Jonah.  This reading is very appropriate for Lent.

Reading 1 from the Holy Book of Jonah
Jon 3:1-10

The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time:
“Set out for the great city of Nineveh,
and announce to it the message that I will tell you.”
So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh,
according to the LORD’s bidding.

We've skipped the very first part of Jonah, when God first commanded Jonah to warn Nineveh of impending doom.  But, since Nineveh is Israel's great pagan enemy, Jonah would rather drown than to save Nineveh.  So, Jonah ran away.  But he couldn't run far enough to get away from God and he wound up in the belly of the whale.  Then the whale spit him out on land and he set out to do what God commanded.  That's where we begin today.

Now Nineveh was an enormously large city;
it took three days to go through it.
Jonah began his journey through the city,
and had gone but a single day’s walk announcing,
“Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,”
when the people of Nineveh believed God;
they proclaimed a fast
and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth.

This is very touching.  Jonah had barely started prophesying that the Ninevites should repent and they immediately responded by doing penance.  How awesome!

When the news reached the king of Nineveh,
he rose from his throne, laid aside his robe,
covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in the ashes.
Then he had this proclaimed throughout Nineveh,
by decree of the king and his nobles:
“Neither man nor beast, neither cattle nor sheep,
shall taste anything;
they shall not eat, nor shall they drink water.
Man and beast shall be covered with sackcloth and call loudly to God;
every man shall turn from his evil way
and from the violence he has in hand.
Who knows, God may relent and forgive, and withhold his blazing wrath,
so that we shall not perish.”
When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way,
he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them;
he did not carry it out.

Even the King was not too proud to do penance and he commanded all to do the same.  Even the animals in his kingdom.  This is what we are called to do.  How I wish that our entire nation would follow the example of Nineveh.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19

R. (19b) A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

Take pity on me Lord in your kindness.  Please have mercy upon me and forgive my sin.  Absolve me of all wrong and remove my guilt.  A repentant soul you will not turn away.

A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

Give me a new spirit Lord.  Give me a new life within me.  Don't send me away but keep me close and keep your Spirit inside of me.

For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

You are not looking for offerings of dead animals or burning odors.  But you want us to die to our selfish desires and turn to you in repentance and humility.  A humble heart you will not turn away.

A reading form the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke
Lk 11:29-32

While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them,
“This generation is an evil generation;
it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,
except the sign of Jonah.

And Jesus said, "You want signs.  But you will not get anymore signs because you are sinful and selfish.  The only sign you will get is the sign of Jonah."

Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites,
so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
At the judgment
the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation
and she will condemn them,
because she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon,
and there is something greater than Solomon here.
At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation
and condemn it,
because at the preaching of Jonah they repented,
and there is something greater than Jonah here.”

Just as the Ninevites repented because of Jonah, you should repent because of me.  Because I am greater than Jonah.

The Queen of the South came all across the world to see the Wisdom of Solomon.  But I am greater than Solomon.  And you don't come to me.

These will be your judges.  The Ninevites and the Queen of Sheba will arise on the last day and condemn you, because they repented at the sight of ordinary prophets.  But I am greater than they and you will not repent because of Me.