First Reading | Jonah 3: 1-10
And Nineveh is converted, much to Jonah’s dismay. The message here is that we are never beyond redemption. God’s love and mercy is so great that He can redeem us from anything. We need to contribute to this aspect of forgiveness—accept the forgiveness God offers us. Yet we can choose not to accept it. In that case, we will remain in sin and cast far away from God’s love.
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.
Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 7-8
R: If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice! 2 Let your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication. (R) 3 If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand? 4 But with you is forgiveness, that you may be revered. (R) 7 Let Israel wait for the Lord, for with the Lord is kindness and with him is plenteous redemption; 8 and he will redeem Israel from all their iniquities. (R)
The right path in life is straight and narrow. This means avoiding the extremes where we neglect one aspect of life while taking up another. The balance we find at this time of our life may change as we grow older. This is the way of life—learning to balance our priorities and satisfying them to the best of our ability. Sometimes there are things we compromise. Let us avoid compromise that neglects important aspects of our faith.
Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.
Luke 10:38-42
38 Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. 39 She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. 40 Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” 41The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. 42 There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”
