Repent and Believe in the Gospel

First Week of Lent – Wednesday
Jonah 3:1-10; Luke 11:29-32

“Repent and believe in the Gospel.” These are the words we have heard last Wednesday as the priest marked the cross with ashes on our foreheads.

We, Catholics, profess that they know God. We confess that they heard the Word of God. We come to the Church on Sundays. We go to the Sacrament of Confession for we are sinners. Because we are sinners, there is a need for us to listen to the Word of God, to repent and change our lives.

In our first reading we have heard the story of Jonah. He went to the city of Nineveh and announced the Word of God. When the people of Nineveh heard the message of Jonah, they believed. They were willing to open their hearts to the Word of God. And they were converted. They turned away from their evil ways. The whole city was converted. In them, we see of what we are called to. We are called listen to the Word of God. We are called to change our lives.

Our Lord Jesus in the Gospel today rebukes the people of his time for not reforming their evil ways. He begins to speak to them in strong words: “This is an evil age!” They just seek the sign, but they don’t see the sign. When Jonah preached to the Pagans, they believed. They were willing to open their hearts and listen to the Word of God. But these Jewish people, they know the Word of God, they are Religious, but they don’t want to listen. They are spiritually dumb, spiritually deaf, and spiritually blind. They don’t realize that it’s Jesus who is the sign. Jesus is the Word of God.

If we think of our situation today, we have heard Jesus; we have the Word of God. Of course, we are Christians. Most Filipinos are Christians. But, why do we hate our neighbors? Why don’t we forgive our brothers and sisters? Why do we back-biting each other? If we look at our society today, why there are a lot of killings, abortions, human slavery, prostitution, illegal gambling, drugs, graft and corruption. It is really an evil age! We have the same problem with Jesus’ generation, and even worst! We have the Word of God but we are not listening. If the Lord were standing before us now, he would tell us these same words: “This is an evil age!” But Our God is a merciful God. He is a compassionate God. In Jesus, we are called to truly turn away from our evil ways. He is always calling us to conversion, to true conversion. He is calling us to really listen to the Word of God and live it.

We began our Lent one week ago with ashes. This Lenten season we are reminded to “repent and believe in the Gospel”. Jesus, who is greater than Jonah, who is greater than Solomon, who is greater than anyone else, who is the Word of God, calls us to repent and believe in Him. We are challenged to listen to him, accept Him and allow Him to enter deeply in our hearts, and change our lives.

This is the call, an invitation and a challenge, for each one of us - “Repent and believe in the Gospel.”