Wednesday of the First Week in Lent

Today's Mass Readings

The Lenten readings for today are a terrific reminder of the purpose of Lent. We called into a time of purification so that we might be transformed to live the Lord’s will for us more fully. In the first reading, Jonah decides to listen to the call of the Lord and to deliver the message from God to the people of Nineveh. Jonah proclaimed God’s warning to this pagan people. The prophecy declared, “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed.” (Jonah 3:4b) Upon hearing this, the king of Nineveh declared a fast, that man and beast alike would put on sackcloth and ashes and that everyone would turn from their evil. Here we recall the ashes we ourselves displayed last Wednesday. Jonah’s sign is not the most important message of the story. The profound and unexpected sign in the story is that the people of Nineveh repented. Their conversion is an outward sign that begs God to relent and withhold the annihilation of their city. From the story’s end, we know that God saw how they “turned from their evil way,” (Jonah 3:10:a) and refrained from carrying out the prophesied destruction.

In the Gospel today, Jesus recalls the evil people of Nineveh and how Jonah became sign unto them. Jesus proclaims to the people of Israel and to us, that he is the Sign for all generations. Jesus compares himself to Jonah, believed to be one of Israel’s greatest prophets. Also in today’s Gospel, Jesus compares himself to Solomon, Israel’s wisest leader. For the crowd, to whom Jesus is speaking, it might have been a shock to hear that “there is something greater than Jonah (or Solomon) here.” [Luke 11:32c & (31b)] We must recognize that Jesus is our Sign. This recognition is given not just for us as individuals but for our whole community.

The prayer of the psalmist today is one each of us can embrace. “Have mercy on me, O God…in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offence.” (Psalm 51:3) In prayer, let us reflect upon our own sinfulness. Lord we ask You to help us change our ways. Let our repentance be a sign to You and to all we meet, of the goodness done for us by the Son of Man; our Lord and Savior, Jesus. Amen.

-Michael Montgomery