Readings:
Jonah 3:1-10
Luke 11:29-32
Reflection
It wasn’t until recently that I really became comfortable around calling myself a ‘sinner’. In today’s readings, I am caught by the actions of the king who, in the story, instantly repents, clothes himself in rags and furthered the mission of Jonah.
If I were a citizen of Nineveh, would I have put on sackcloth and sat in the dirt? Or would I have put on some excuse as to why I don’t have to? Blinded by pride, saying things like “I’m a good enough person”, “I try my hardest, I’m fine”. But here is even the king sitting in the dirt and repenting.
The sin of pride is that it blinds us from the workings of God in our life. The crowd in today’s are so blind that when they have God literally in front of them, they still ask for a sign.
This lent, we must ask ourselves: where are we letting our pride blind us from the loving presence of God in our lives? And are we more like the Ninevites or crowds- when our King sits in the dirt, do we join him?
Claire O’Donohue is a current Oxley Passionist Youth Retreat Team member. While also in her final year of university, she is completing her bachelor’s degree with a major in visual art and theology.