Today, October 12
Feast of the Day
No feast of the day
Saint of the Day
Readings of the Day
Letter to the Galatians 4,22-24.26-27.31.5,1.
Brothers and sisters: It is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the freeborn woman. The son of the slave woman was born naturally, the son of the freeborn through a promise. Now this is an allegory. These women represent two covenants. One was from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; this is Hagar. But the Jerusalem above is freeborn, and she is our mother. For it is written: "Rejoice, you barren one who bore no children; break forth and shout, you who were not in labor; for more numerous are the children of the deserted one than of her who has a husband." Therefore, brothers, we are children not of the slave woman but of the freeborn woman. For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.
Psalms 113(112),1-2.3-4.5a.6-7.
Praise, you servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD. Blessed be the name of the LORD both now and forever. From the rising to the setting of the sun is the name of the LORD to be praised. High above all nations is the LORD; above the heavens is his glory. Who is like the LORD, our God, who looks upon the heavens and the earth below? He raises up the lowly from the dust; from the dunghill he lifts up the poor.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint 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 Reflection
The Ninevites believed the message of this Jew and did penance. To me, the conversion of the Ninevites is a truly surprising fact. How could they believe? I find no other answer than this: upon hearing Jonah’s preaching, they must have recognized that at least the verifiable part of the message was simply true—the city’s wickedness was grave. Thus, they understood that the other part was true as well: wickedness destroys a city. They grasped that conversion was, therefore, the only way to save the city... The messenger’s personal selflessness was the second element of Jonah’s credibility: he had come from afar to perform a service that exposed him to ridicule and from which he could certainly expect no personal gain. Rabbinic tradition adds yet another element: Jonah remained marked by the three days and three nights spent in the heart of the earth, "in the depths of the underworld" (Jonah 2:3). The traces of his experience of death remained visible and lent authenticity to his words. It is impossible not to ask oneself a question here. If a new Jonah were to come, would we believe? Would our cities believe? Even today, for great cities—for modern Ninevehs—God seeks messengers of penance. Do we possess the courage, the deep faith, and the credibility needed to touch hearts and open the doors to conversion?