Daily Readings for October 6, 2015

1ST READING

Jonah eventually went to Nineveh and preached the destruction of the great city. The people repented and God relented as Jonah predicted, and so he became depressed. Why didn’t he rejoice with God at the repentance and conversion of the people of Nineveh? He had been instrumental in their salvation from destruction after all. What is it about Jonah? Did he hate Nineveh so much he wanted it destroyed?

Jonah 3:1-10

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.

P S A L M

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)

GOSPEL

Life is a mixture of serving and listening, doing and being. Mary has chosen the better path — to be with Jesus and to listen to Him. At other times, we should get out of our seats and serve like Martha. We must find the balance between the two. The choice istime for apostolic works. between the two extreme heresies of Quietism — where we simply sit back and wait for God to save us and Jansenism, where we believe we have to save ourselves through penance and good works. Let us balance our time for prayer and reflection and listening to God with time for apostolic works.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

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.” 41 The 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.”

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