Gospel of the day February 24, 2021
Comment by Pope Francis on the Gospel of the day February 24, 2021: in Holy Scripture, among the prophets of Israel. A somewhat anomalous figure stands out. A prophet who tries to escape the call of the Lord by refusing to put himself at the service of the divine plan of salvation. It is the prophet Jonah, whose story is told in a small booklet of only four chapters. A sort of parable bearing a great teaching, that of the mercy of God who forgives. (Pope Francis, General Audience, January 18, 2017)
Devotion to have a grace today
READING OF THE DAY From the book of the prophet Jonah Gn 3,1-10 At that time, the word of the Lord was addressed to Jonah: "Get up, go to Nineveh, the great city, and tell them what I tell you." Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the Lord. Nìnive was a very large city, three days wide. Jonah began to walk the city for a day's walk and preached: "Another forty days and Nineveh will be destroyed." The citizens of Nìnive believed in God and banned a fast, clothed the sack, large and small.
When the news reached the king of Nine, he rose from his throne, took off his mantle, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat down on the ashes. By order of the king and his great ones, this decree was then proclaimed in Nine: «Let men and animals, herds and flocks taste nothing, do not graze, do not drink water. Men and beasts cover themselves with sackcloth and God be invoked with all his might; everyone is converted from his evil conduct and from the violence that is in his hands. Who knows that God does not change, repent, put down his ardent indignation and we do not have to perish! ».
God saw their works, that is, that they had turned back from their wicked course, and God repented of the evil he had threatened to do to them and did not.
Gospel of the day February 24, 2021
GOSPEL OF THE DAY From the Gospel according to Luke Lk 11,29: 32-XNUMX At that time, as the crowds thronged, Jesus began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given to it, except the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah was a sign to those of Nineveh, so also the Son of man will be for this generation. On the day of judgment, the queen of the South will rise up against the men of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And behold, here is one greater than Solomon. On the day of judgment, the inhabitants of Nineveh will rise up against this generation and will condemn it, because they were converted at the preaching of Jonah. And here, there is one greater than Jonah ».