CALL UPON THE

NAME OF THE LORD

“Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence.” – Jonah 3:8

Today’s First Reading shows us how merciful God is. It also reminds us of the need to look at ourselves, our hearts, and how we live our lives. Are there “evil ways” that we need to give up, like the people of Nineveh did? I know I certainly do!

I may not be as evil as other people may seem, but I have my own faults and sins.

I fail to keep my daily commitment to the Lord—to pray and read Scripture first thing in the morning. I struggle with my temper a lot. (Just ask my kids!) I fail the Lord in so many, many ways. Yet, in His lovingkindness, He forgives me every time I return to Him, repenting of my sinfulness.

In the same way, He will forgive you, too, friend. So let’s “call urgently on God” today and ask Him to help us change for the better this Lent and beyond. Tina Santiago Rodriguez (trulyrichandblessed@gmail.com)

Reflect: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

Jesus, thank You for Your mercy and love. Please help me say no to sin every day.

St. Leander of Seville, pray for us.

Jonah believed that God would spare Nineveh if the people turned from their evil ways. However, he sulked when the people’s repentance averted the doom and destruction he prophesied when he should have rejoiced. There is great joy to see salvation come into the life of a person, family, or community, let alone a whole city.

Jonah 3:1-10

1 The 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.” 3 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. 4 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.” 5 When the people of Nineveh believed God, they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth. 6 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. 7 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. 8 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. 9 Who knows, God may relent and forgive, and withhold his blazing wrath, so that we shall not perish.” 10 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.

P S A L M

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

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

1 [3] Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. 2 [4] Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me. (R) 10 [12] A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. 11 [13] Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me. (R) 16 [18] For you are not pleased with sacrifices; should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it. 17 [19] My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn. (R)

GOSPELPSALM

The sign of Jonah is one of repentance. What Jesus is looking for when He proclaims the Gospel to the people is their willingness to repent of their sins and be converted to the truth. True repentance and conversion are also what we should look for in our ministries. Blessings outside of these two are mere additional signs of God’s love. Repentance and conversion are what matter because they are integral to receiving the gift of eternal life.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart for I am gracious and merciful.

Luke 11:29-32

29 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. 30 Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 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. 32 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.”

think: What is your conversion story? How did God call you to repent and change your ways?

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T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST 

Read the Bible in one year - Revelation 19-22  

 

 

When people have made up their minds about what kind of person you are, even without seeing you from close ranks, all they do is look for your slightest mistake to convince themselves that their appraisal is correct after all.

Damn if you do; damn if you don’t. If you don’t say anything, then their suspicions must be true. If you try to explain, then you are just being plain evasive and defensive.

The bad news is, Jesus was not exempt from this predicament, as the Gospel passage shows. The “evil generation” has already judged Him rashly. They were already convinced that He was a poseur, if not a downright impostor. They badgered Him for signs to show them His authenticity as One truly sent from above.

This reminds me of the many rabid anti-Catholics who keep on asking us priests and lay people for clarifications about the statues of Mary and the saints. They always begin by asking an ostensibly honest question, but their real purpose is not to ask but to press on with their already preset and preconceived understanding about their theory that Catholics are not really Christians, and that we are all just plain superstitious and anti-biblical. They ask for the equivalent of signs not to be convinced of the truth, but to be confirmed in their own brand of truth.

It can be annoying, especially for one like me who doesn’t enjoy repeating myself over and over again. Well, more bad news. The Lord seemed to have lost His patience, too. No sign will be given to those who are already convinced about the point of the very signs they ask for. All He did was show signs, but there simply are none so blind as those who refuse to see.

The good news? He offered the prophet Jonah as sign—Jonah who himself was not listened to, at least initially. But the Ninevites, while not expected, repented.

Will we? Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

------- REFLECTION QUESTION -------

Do you still wait for signs before believing and trusting in God’s Word for you?

I believe in Your Word, O Lord. Amen.

Today, I pray for: ____________________________