Wednesday of the First Week in Lent
(Jonah 3:1-10; Luke 11:29-32)
There is an intriguing development in the Passion narrative
of St. Luke’s Gospel. The crowd
following Jesus from the Roman praetorium to Calvary changes its attitude. In front of Pilate it was insistent that
Jesus should be crucified. However, the
crowd leaves the scene of crucifixion beating their breasts in remorse. The crowd’s repentance is like that of the
Ninevites in today’s first reading.
In Ninevah the prophet’s moral preaching turned the hearts
of the people. On Calvary it was the
nobility Jesus showed in dying praying for the forgiveness of his executioners
and promising Paradise to the “good thief.” In today’s gospel passage Jesus calls for such
a response from all who hear him proclaimed.
Certainly, we want to make individual acts of penance during
Lent. We should also encourage others to
recognize their sins and to make amends.
Lent is a time of communal penance when everyone is to renounce and make
up for social as well as personal sins.
