Wednesday of the First Week of Lent

Readings of the Day

Today’s readings focus on signs, repentance, and faith.  Jesus highlights the repentance of the people of Nineveh. If these people had the wisdom to see the authority of the prophet Jonah and repent, then surely Jesus’ generation should be able to do the same, given that Jesus is even greater than Jonah, right?

Unfortunately, this isn’t the case, as the Gentiles were more receptive to Jesus’ message than were his own people.  When his people demanded a sign as proof that his message was genuine, Jesus accused them of lacking faith. As Christians, are we receptive to Jesus’ message, or are we lacking in faith like those in Jesus’ time?

We all look for signs in our lives to make sure we are on the right track.  How many times have we said, “God, if you give me a sign, I will change?” We seem to need grand signs, as the ordinary do not sufficiently impress us or prove God’s love for us.  It takes wisdom and an openness to His grace to see the deeper gift, and appreciate what lies hidden in the everyday.

As members of the Catholic Charities network, we are blessed with opportunities to see “everyday miracles” in our co-workers, volunteers, donors, and the people we are privileged to serve. God’s blessings and graces are right in front of us, whether we see them or not. The gift of a donation, a kind word about a service provided, or even just a simple smile and “thank you” are daily miracles from God. 

These miracles are often challenging to recognize in the busyness and stresses of carrying out our daily mission. When we lose sight of God’s miracles to us, we must remember, as the responsorial psalm says, “A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.”  It is with that humble heart that we, like Jonah, are called upon by God to be a conduit to do His will.

Brian Smith is the Director of Parish Engagement for Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. He is blessed to serve on Catholic Charities USA’s Parish Social Ministry Leadership Team.

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