Wednesday of the First Week in Lent
LECTIONARY
226
FIRST READING
JONAH 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.
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.
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.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
PSALM 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19
Response: 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.
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.
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.
Verse Before the Gospel
JOEL 2:12-13
Even now, says the LORD,
return to me with your whole heart
for I am gracious and merciful.
GOSPEL
LUKE 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.
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.”
Reflection 1
Catholic Daily Reflections
The One True Sign of the Cross
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.” Luke 11:29
The crowd seemed to be a mixed bunch. First, there were those who wholeheartedly believed in Jesus. The Twelve, for example, left everything behind to follow Him. His mother and various other holy women believed in Him and were His faithful followers. But within the growing crowd, it appeared that there were many who questioned Jesus and wanted some form of proof of Who He was. Thus, they wanted a sign from Heaven.
A sign from Heaven would have been some externally manifest proof of Who Jesus was. Granted, Jesus had already performed numerous miracles. But it seems that this was not enough. They wanted more—and that desire is a clear indication of a stubbornness of heart and a lack of faith. So Jesus could not and would not give them the sign they wanted.
Instead, Jesus says that the only sign they will receive is the sign of Jonah. Recall that the sign of Jonah was not very appealing. He was thrown over the side of a boat and swallowed by a whale, where he remained for three days before being spit up on the shores of Nineveh.
Jesus’ sign would be similar. He would suffer at the hands of the religious leaders and civil authorities, be killed and be placed in a tomb. And then, three days later, He would rise. But His Resurrection was not one in which He came forth with rays of light for all to see; rather, His post-Resurrection appearances were to those who already manifested faith and already believed.
The lesson for us is that God will not convince us of the matters of faith through powerful and Hollywood-like public manifestations of God’s greatness. Instead, the “sign” we are offered is an invitation to die with Christ so that we can personally begin to experience the new life of the Resurrection. This gift of faith is interior, not publicly exterior. Our death to sin is something we personally and interiorly do, and the new life we receive can only be seen by others by the witness of our lives that are changed.
Reflect, today, upon the true sign God has given you. If you are one who seems to be waiting for some manifest sign from our Lord, wait no longer. Look at the crucifix, see Jesus’ suffering and death, and choose to follow Him in a death to all sin and selfishness. Die with Him, enter the tomb with Him and allow Him to bring you forth interiorly renewed this Lent, so that you can be transformed by this one and only sign from Heaven.
Reflection 2
One Bread, One Body
IS IT THE ELEVENTH HOUR?
“Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed.” —Jonah 3:4
To create our culture of death, many people have sinned repeatedly and grievously for many years. The culture of death will eventually self-destruct. But how long will it be? Are there only forty days more before the end? (see Jon 3:4) Are we on our last year? (Lk 13:8-9) Some believe that it’s too late to avert mass destruction. When people thought this in the past, the prophet Joel proclaimed that “even now” God’s people could repent with prayer and fasting (Jl 2:12). In Joel’s time, it was almost too late, but there were still a few moments left to repent. We are still in the season of mercy, but the season of judgment is coming soon (and possibly very soon). “The Judge stands at the gate” (Jas 5:9).
We don’t know how much time we have left to repent. Consequently, the only wise thing to do is to repent now. “Now is the acceptable time! Now is the day of salvation!” (2 Cor 6:2) Go to Confession at the nearest opportunity. Fast and pray in the Holy Spirit to prepare for life-changing Lenten Confessions. Go to Confession as if this were your last Confession. Live this Lenten day as if it were your last Lent and your last day.
Prayer: Father, may I repent more deeply today than I ever have before.
Promise: “For at the preaching of Jonah they reformed, but you have a greater than Jonah here.” —Lk 11:32
Praise: St. Peter Damian rose from the life of a fervent monk to the abbot of his order. He encouraged a strict rule of life for the monks. He was later made a cardinal and finally, he was named a Doctor of the Church.
Reflection 3
Shared from God's Word
The story of Jonah signals God’s care for our safety and wellbeing. We see how God gave Jonah a second chance to live and fulfil the mission he was called to carry out even though in his disobedience, he fled in the opposite direction when God first commanded him to go to Nineveh. When Jesus mentions that something greater than Jonah is here, He is alluding to His own death and resurrection which is the greatest sign of Emmanuel – God-with-us. Have you experienced moments that have turned your life around and made you ponder? Have you been grateful for these moments of God’s intervention and His saving love? Lord Jesus, open my eyes to see your great works in my life.
Prayers
Lord, I thank you for teaching me to pray to the Father. I don’t always pray as much as I should. Please help me to pray more and better. Please help me to want with all my heart to give God the first place in my life, preferring his will to mine. Help me to treat others as I would like them to treat me, forgiving them when they offend me.
Father in heaven, you have given me a mind to know you, a will to serve you, and a heart to love you. Give me today the grace and strength to embrace your holy will and fill my heart and mind with your truth and love that all my intentions and actions may be pleasing to you. Help me to be kind and forgiving towards my neighbor as you have been towards me.
My crucified Lord, I gaze upon the crucifix and see in Your death the greatest act of love ever known. Give me the grace I need to follow You to the tomb so that Your death will triumph over my sins. Free me, dear Lord, during the Lenten journey so that I will be able to fully share in Your new life of the Resurrection. Jesus, I trust in You.
Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy
Reflection 52: Daily Prayer
What is it that makes your soul beautiful? Prayer. What is it that keeps you from sin? Prayer. What is it that fills you with hope? Prayer. What is it that leads you on the road to holiness? Prayer. Prayer is the key to all things. Without prayer, each and every day, you are directionless in life and are left to your own wisdom and ability, which is a frightening state to find yourself in (See Diary #146).
Do you pray? Not just every so often, at Sunday Mass or before meals. But do you truly pray every day? Do you spend moments alone speaking to God from the depths of your heart and let Him speak back to you? Do you allow Him to initiate a conversation of love with you every day and throughout the day? Reflect, today, upon your habit of prayer. Reflect upon whether you can honestly say that your daily conversation with God is the most important conversation you have each day. Make this a priority, the number one priority, and all else will fall into place.
Lord, I know my prayer life is weak. I know I need to give more attention to my daily conversation with You. Help me to form a strong habit of prayer, each and every day, so that this life of prayer will become the guiding light of my life. Jesus, I trust in You.
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