Lent Week 1 Wednesday – Turn from your evil way and live
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Readings: Jonah 3:1-10; Ps 51; Luke 11:29-32
It has often been remarked that the book of Jonah has at least a comic mode of expression, if it is not in fact a comedy. Like the book of Esther, it has a touch of the pantomime stage about it. For instance, the king of Nineveh declares that the beasts must be covered in sackcloth and ashes, something which when you think about it – imagine a cow in a torn garment and with ash upon its head – cannot fail to raise a smile at least. It’s something that I’ve always found very heartening, that the Holy Spirit inspired the author of the book of Jonah to use comedy in expressing the need for repentance, the most necessary of all human acts. In the gospel for today Our Lord calls us to turn back to him with contrite hearts, something that we, all of us, need to do every day. How many times have we heard the voice of the Lord leading us away from our favourite vice in so many different things around us: the scriptures, prayers, our friends, and failed to respond with gratitude and heartfelt praise? The love of Christ that has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit cannot be placed alongside all the other influences upon us and be made to compete. Let us not allow this Lent to be a time of regret and of lost opportunity, but of perfect love that casts out fear.
It has often been remarked that the book of Jonah has at least a comic mode of expression, if it is not in fact a comedy. Like the book of Esther, it has a touch of the pantomime stage about it. For instance, the king of Nineveh declares that the beasts must be covered in sackcloth and ashes, something which when you think about it – imagine a cow in a torn garment and with ash upon its head – cannot fail to raise a smile at least. It’s something that I’ve always found very heartening, that the Holy Spirit inspired the author of the book of Jonah to use comedy in expressing the need for repentance, the most necessary of all human acts. In the gospel for today Our Lord calls us to turn back to him with contrite hearts, something that we, all of us, need to do every day. How many times have we heard the voice of the Lord leading us away from our favourite vice in so many different things around us: the scriptures, prayers, our friends, and failed to respond with gratitude and heartfelt praise? The love of Christ that has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit cannot be placed alongside all the other influences upon us and be made to compete. Let us not allow this Lent to be a time of regret and of lost opportunity, but of perfect love that casts out fear.
