Wednesday of the First Week
Both readings for today are about repentance for when we have turned away from God and sinned. Jonah goes to the city of Nineveh and warns anyone who will listen to “repent.” The citizens of this great Mesopotamian city are reported to have listen earnestly, and fasted, put on sackcloth and covered themselves in ashes. Even the great King did so and all were spared the wrath of God that Jonah had warned them about.
We don’t hear the word “repent” so much today, and when we do, it is typically in parodies of religious zealots. This is unfortunate because the original notion “repentance” means a change of heart and mind that brings us closer to God. In both its Greek and Hebrew sense, repentance involves a reorientation and transformation of outlook, of our vision of ourselves and a “a new way of loving others and God.” Don’t we all need to do that from time to time? Maybe frequently?
It is notable that even the glorious King of Nineveh needs to repent, and does. What a good reminder that ALL of us are in need of turning back to God! Just like the King, we all have probably spent too much time thinking about ourselves and not enough time thinking—and praying—to be closer to God. Our culture is an enormous distraction from our rightful focus on loving God, and our neighbors. This Lent, let’s not be ashamed of a little repentance!
God, help me to repent and change my heart and my mind so that I am always closer to You. And help all of us to be more loving towards each other, especially those who sometimes seem so difficult to love. Amen.
Vince Bolduc, Professor Emeritus of Sociology
Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19
Gospel: Luke 11:29-32
Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website
