24th February, Wednesday.I. Jon 3: 1-10
II. Lk 11: 29-32
Theme: Repentance
Today’s scripture readings tell that penance pleases God and wins his mercy and forgiveness. In the first reading we hear God telling the prophet Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach repentance to its people. Their response to Jonah made God set aside the punishment he had in store for these sinful men and women. Instead, God had thought of them as friends. In the gospel reading we hear that some of the people were asking for a sign from heaven. Jesus refused to yield to their command because the miracles themselves were sufficient signs from heaven for those who understand them properly. Because of their lack of understanding, Jesus calls them an evil generation, and tells them that the only sign they would be given was the sign of Jonah. The sign of Jonah was that he preached penance to the people of Nineveh, and they accepted his exhortation to the penance in order to avert God’s punishment and did penance. Here Jesus preaching penance, and not only that hardly any one paid attention to his calling to penance, but even demanded a sign to authenticate his preaching to prove his authority calling to do penance. Therefore, Jesus said, this is an evil generation, which refuse to see enough sign in his healing miracles, which supported his preaching of the coming kingdom. In order to be found worthy of the kingdom they had first to prepare themselves by doing penance. Refusing to accept these as signs they became an evil generation, and an unrepeatable people. So, it is for personal reflection that am I ready to repent for my sins and turn back to God?
Bro. Prakash Horo SMM
II BTh