Friday 1st Week of Lent A 2026

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.”
 

The people of Nineveh had repented. They turned from their evil ways and turned to God with contrite and humble hearts.

All this they did because of Jonah the prophet. A reluctant prophet who God had told to go to the people of Nineveh and proclaim their destruction because of their evil ways.

When Jonah did not go there, he was thrown overboard in a storm and swallowed up by a huge fish for three days which is seen theologically as a type of event like the death and resurrection of Jesus.  When Jonah got out of the fish he went to the people of Nineveh and gave them God’s message.

They repented. Humbled themselves. And God did not carry out their destruction.

 

Jesus tells us that our generation will not listen even though we have a much greater event, the coming of the Son of God who will die and be resurrected. And we all know the Gospel. It is common knowledge even among non believers.

 

But instead of relenting and turning to God we hear that people will not turn from their evil ways.

 

And we see that today. There is in some areas a great turning to God. It’s true. It’s amazing to see. But most of these our converts and people who have only truly digested the Gospel for the first time. And that is a good thing. It’s wonderful.

 

But many people during Covid who were faithful left the church. Our churches got smaller and many lifelong Christians and Catholic Christians stopped worshipping. Stopped praying. So yes, we are in a renewal right now. But we also see many who have heard the good news of Jesus who came to be with us and died and suffered for us all horribly. But they do not believe. They can not turn to God humbly and with contrite hearts.

 

Today we need to live each day as a light for Christ. Shine for those who are lost and have turned toward the world and away from God. With love we need to speak openly about the good news of God’s love for us. And pray that they too will be like the people of Nineveh and turn back to God.

 

We too are called like Jonah to tell others that the life they are living and the choice they are making is a choice of life or death. It is an urgent message and one we are called by our baptism to proclaim.