Wednesday of the 1st week of Lent
Jonah 3: 1-10 Luke 11: 29-32
Theme: God’s love for humanity
In the 1st reading of today, we are presented with the familiar story of Jonah and the Ninevites. A story that has something new for us each time we reflect on it. We see the love of God for you and I in today’s 1st reading. He could decide to destroy the people of Nineveh without sending Jonah to them, but he did not do that, because he does not take pleasure in destroying his own people. Rather, he gave them another chance to repent, and the people took a good advantage of the opportunity and God spared their lives and did not destroy them as he earlier planned to do. One thing that is obvious in today’s 1st reading is the fact that the moment the people got the message of Jonah, they were remorseful and went back to God in humility and faith. Their action attracted the mercy of God, and they were given another chance by God.
The action of the Ninevites says a lot to all of us as Christians in our own time. God has no plan to destroy us, not minding how far we have strayed from the right path. The most important thing is that we must acknowledge our sins, be remorseful and go back to Christ in humility like the Ninevites to beg for his forgiveness. At such moments, God will never reject you; he will rather give you another chance to right your wrongs. It is now left for you to put into action what is expected from you as a child of God.
The response to our psalm says it all, “A broken and humbled heart you will not spurn”. The action of God reiterates this clearly from today’s 1st reading. Dearly beloved in Christ, let us be humble to return to God whenever we stray from his path; he is waiting patiently for us at such moments. As we enjoy Gods second chance in our life, let us also make effort to extend such to all those who return to us, seeking our forgiveness. May God grant us the grace to emulate Christ in our actions, in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit, Amen. Peace be with you.