The "sign of Jonah" as the preaching of the need for repentance

February 17, 2016

Wednesday of the First Week in Lent

Saint of the Day: The Seven Holy Founders of the order of Servites

Reading 1

Jonah 3;1-10

1The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: 2“Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce to it the message that I will tell you.” 

3So 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.

4Jonah began his journey through the city, and had gone but a single day’s walk announcing, “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,”[1] 5when the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth.

6When 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. 7Then 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. 8Man 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.[2] 9Who knows, God may relent and forgive, and withhold his blazing wrath, so that we shall not perish.”

10When 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

Psalms 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19

R. (19b) A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

3Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. 4Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me.

R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

12A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me.

13Cast 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.

18For you are not pleased with sacrifices; should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it. 19My 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.

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

29While 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. [3]

30Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31At 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.

32At 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.” Get the daily readings sent to your email every morning.

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Notes on readings:

[1] Jonah 3:4 - Shall be destroyed: the Hebrew expression reminds the reader of the "overthrowing" of the wicked cities, Sodom and Gomorrah, by a special act of God.

[2] Jonah 3:8 - Beast . . . sackcloth: the animals carried the signs of this repentance, as on occasions of joy they bore garlands.

[3] Luke 11:29-32 - The "sign of Jonah" in Luke is the preaching of the need for repentance by a prophet who comes from afar. Compare with Matthew 12:38-42 (and see the notes there) where the "sign of Jonah" is interpreted by Jesus as his death and resurrection.