Only forty days… Do we know if we have even forty days left to repent before we meet our maker or our end?
There are two takeaways from the first reading. First it does not matter if the folks we are called to reach out to listen to the Word and Will of the Lord our God. We need only be obedient to God’s Will for us. He will open their minds and touch their hearts if they are open to receiving His Word. Second is that folks outside our faith can be more receptive in receiving our Lord’s saving Grace, why then are we so worried about reaching out to them?
Today’s Gospel reminds us to always choose the better part. That is to be still in the presence of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. So that we can receive the graces necessary to minister and to serve others as we are called to. In other words we can be more effective ‘Marthas’ if we can sit like ‘Marys’ in His presence.
Lord I surrender my heart, body and mind to Your Will for me. Bless my hands and feet to carry out Your Will accordingly. Amen
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First reading
Jonah 3:1-10 ·
The Ninevites repent, and God spares them
The word of the Lord was addressed to Jonah: ‘Up!’ he said ‘Go to Nineveh, the great city, and preach to them as I told you to.’ Jonah set out and went to Nineveh in obedience to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was a city great beyond compare: it took three days to cross it. Jonah went on into the city, making a day’s journey. He preached in these words, ‘Only forty days more and Nineveh is going to be destroyed.’ And the people of Nineveh believed in God; they proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least. The news reached the king of Nineveh, who rose from his throne, took off his robe, put on sackcloth and sat down in ashes. A proclamation was then promulgated throughout Nineveh, by decree of the king and his ministers, as follows: ‘Men and beasts, herds and flocks, are to taste nothing; they must not eat, they must not drink water. All are to put on sackcloth and call on God with all their might; and let everyone renounce his evil behaviour and the wicked things he has done. Who knows if God will not change his mind and relent, if he will not renounce his burning wrath, so that we do not perish?’ God saw their efforts to renounce their evil behaviour, and God relented: he did not inflict on them the disaster which he had threatened.
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Gospel
Luke 10:38-42
Martha works; Mary listens
Jesus came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord’s feet and listened to him speaking. Now Martha who was distracted with all the serving said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered: ‘Martha, Martha,’ he said ‘you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.’
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