Contrite and Humble

Homily for Wednesday of the 1st Week in Lent

Notice the content of Jonah’s preaching. He does not call for repentance, but simply warns the people that in a day is about to be destroyed by the God of Israel. Nineveh was populated by enemies of Israel. It isn’t difficult to understand why Jonah did not call for repentance. In fact, he didn’t want the Ninevites to repent. He wanted to see them destroyed.

Jonah also figures in the Gospel text for this Lenten day. The “sign” of Jonah of which Jesus speaks is interpreted in two ways in the New Testament: His experience of three days and nights in the fish is a “type” of the experience of the Son of Man who lay in the tomb for three days. However, the Ninevites’ reaction to the preaching of Jonah is contrasted with the failure of Jesus’ generation to obey the preaching of one who is “greater than Jonah.”

The phrase for today is “contrite and humble” which comes from the responsorial Psalm. God will not turn away a contrite and humbled heart. So, let us call to mind throughout this day the call to be contrite and humble as we make our Lenten journey of repentance.