Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection March 12, 2025

12th March 2025 (Wednesday)

Psalter: Week 1

Readings of the Day

First Reading: Jonah 3:1-10

The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: “”Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce to it the message that I will tell you.”” 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. 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,”” when the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth. 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. 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. 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. Who knows, God may relent and forgive, and withhold his blazing wrath, so that we shall not perish.”” 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.

Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19 (R. 19b)

R/. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn

Gospel Acclamation

V/. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.

R/. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.

V/. Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart for I am gracious and merciful.

R/. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.

Gospel: Luke 11:29-32

While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here. At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here.”

Daily Gospel Reflection

Wednesday – First Week of Lent

Main Point: One big tragedy of today’s society is the lack of openness and receptivity to the good and the positive. Still, further, there is unreflected haste to embrace fully the evil and the negative

In today’s gospel, Jesus is very strong in his rebuke about the people of his time. He says, “This generation is an evil generation”. He also makes the reason explicit. It is because they seek signs to believe God’s power working through Jesus.

In fact, there may not be anything wrong with seeking signs. And many times, we too seek signs. But the problem is not the lack of them. They are always there but people are not ready to recognize and accept them. And even if they see them, they are not ready to follow what they signify.

Besides, the problem was also the purpose and the intention with which they wanted the signs. It is not to confirm their faith, or to be assured and strengthened. Rather, it was a pretext, an excuse not to believe Jesus. It was an “evasive” mechanism.

There were plenty of signs all through their history. God performed numberless signs in the form of mighty works and wonders during their slavery, exile, sojourns. Again and again, numerous encounters and events confirmed to them God’s protection, care, guidance, and empowerment. The reference to the prophet Jonah and his mission is itself a sign of repentance and God’s mercy.

Not only in their past history but in their present time itself, in the person and mission of Jesus himself, there were many signs through his preaching, teaching, and healing. His life and mission are themselves ample signs and testimonies of God’s love, mercy, and compassion. They were meant to arouse repentance in the people and lead them to conversion.

My Practice: The world of today is no different from that generation. For this generation too adamantly refuses to see and follow signs