Wednesday of the First Week in Lent, March 12, 2025

Wednesday of the First Week in Lent, March 12, 2025

Today’s Readings, from the USCCB:

Reading 1

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

R. 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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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."

 

A Second Chance

"The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time." – Jonah 3:1

A second time.

That phrase stops me.

Because Jonah wasn’t exactly eager to follow God’s call the first time. He ran. He boarded a ship and tried to escape. He ended up in the belly of a fish, swallowed by both the sea and his own refusal. And yet, God didn’t discard him. He didn’t move on to someone more obedient, more willing.

The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time.

God didn’t give up on him.

And I wonder – how many times has God had to come back to me, repeating the same call, giving me another chance?

How many times have I known the right thing to do and still run in the opposite direction?

How many times have I ignored my conscience, ignored that nagging feeling that I was meant to be better, meant to do more?

How many times have I put off change, convincing myself I’d get to it later?

Jonah's story reminds me that God doesn’t give up easily.

Even when I hesitate.

Even when I run.

Even when I fail.

And maybe that means it’s not too late for me to start listening.

What Am I Waiting For?

Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel hit hard:

"This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah."

I feel that.

I’ve waited for signs.

I’ve waited for God to prove Himself – to show me He’s listening, to show me that I haven’t been abandoned. I’ve prayed and then looked around, expecting something obvious, something clear.

But Jesus is saying I don’t need more signs. I already have one.

The Ninevites heard Jonah’s message and repented immediately. They didn’t demand more proof. They didn’t negotiate. They just believed and changed.

And here I am, thousands of years later, still dragging my feet.

So what am I waiting for?

Another wake-up call?

Another loss?

Another reminder that life is fragile and that faith is a choice I have to make now, not someday?

Or will I finally stop asking for signs and start trusting the ones I’ve already been given?

A Contrite Heart – Is Mine Really?

Psalm 51 is a psalm I’ve always been drawn to.

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

I know what it feels like to be humbled. I know what it feels like to look at myself in the mirror and not like what I see – not physically, but spiritually.

There have been times in my life where I’ve felt like I failed the people around me. Times where I let selfishness win, where I chose comfort over responsibility, where I turned away from something difficult because I didn’t want to deal with it.

I can say I’m sorry.

I can acknowledge my flaws.

But is my heart really contrite?

Or am I still holding onto my pride?

Because true repentance isn’t just feeling bad. It’s changing.

The Ninevites didn’t just say Sorry, God and move on.

They stopped what they were doing.

They fasted.

They put on sackcloth.

They physically changed their ways because they knew words weren’t enough.

So what does that look like for me?

What am I actually doing to be different this Lent?

Not just giving up shots.

Not just writing these reflections.

Not just thinking about faith in a deeper way.

But changing.

Am I more patient with people?

Am I letting go of the bitterness I’ve held onto?

Am I actually putting my trust in God, or just going through the motions?

Because if I want God to transform me, I have to let Him.

The Gift of a Second (and Third, and Fourth) Chance

At the end of the reading, something incredible happens.

"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."

God relented.

He saw their actions, not just their words. And that changed everything.

So maybe this reflection isn’t about how many times I’ve run from God.

Maybe it’s not about how many times I’ve failed, or how many times I’ve ignored what I knew was right.

Maybe it’s about the fact that I still have another chance.

That right now, in this moment, God is speaking to me again.

That despite everything, despite my doubts and failures and hesitation – He hasn’t given up on me.

And maybe the real question isn’t whether I’ll get another chance.

Maybe the real question is:

What will I do with this one?