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.
Responsorial Psalm 129(130):1-4,7-8
If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt: Lord, who would survive?
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord,
Lord, hear my voice!
O let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleading.
If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt,
Lord, who would survive?
But with you is found forgiveness:
Because with the Lord there is mercy
and fullness of redemption,
Israel indeed he will redeem
from all its iniquity.
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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Christian life: Listening and doing
Martha welcomed Jesus and started to busy herself with serving Him. Her sister, Mary, sat at Jesus’ feet and took on the position of a disciple by listening attentively to His teaching. Soon after, Martha became upset and started complaining to Jesus. Jesus told her, “Martha, Martha,’ he said, ‘you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed…”. Jesus pointed out to Martha that her problem was not being busy with serving but that she allowed her worries to distract her and lose focus on what truly mattered. Filled with worries, she had no room to be with Jesus and found her worth in her doing rather than her being.
Jesus reminded her not to lose the “only thing” needed- to be present to Him, listen to Him and enjoy being His friend, His disciple.
Like Martha, our worries pulled us in many directions. Like her, we too might find our worth in what we do and accomplish. Let us listen to Jesus as He calls us again to be still and find our rest in Him. When we are with Jesus, we can serve others with joy and love.
Like Martha, our worries pulled us in many directions. Like her, we too might find our worth in what we do and accomplish. Let us listen to Jesus as He calls us again to be still and find our rest in Him. When we are with Jesus, we can serve others with joy and love.
Reflective question:
What is Jesus’ message to me today?
What is Jesus’ message to me today?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Sandra Seow FMVD.
