The Feast of St David | Wednesday 1 March 2023

Today is Wednesday the 1st of March, the feast of St David, in the first week of Lent.


Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy. These imploring words, which have been sung for centuries, are a reminder of the inexhaustible mercy of God, of God’s unfailing compassion and forgiveness. As I listen, I might think for a moment about my need for that forgiveness, and the need, too, for me to show that same forgiveness to others.

Kyrie eleison
Christe eleison

Today’s reading is from the Prophet Jonah.


Jonah 3:1-10

The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, ‘Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.’So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days’ walk across. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s walk. And he cried out, ‘Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!’ And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth.

When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. Then he had a proclamation made in Nineveh: ‘By the decree of the king and his nobles: No human being or animal, no herd or flock, shall taste anything. They shall not feed, nor shall they drink water. Human beings and animals shall be covered with sackcloth, and they shall cry mightily to God. All shall turn from their evil ways and from the violence that is in their hands. Who knows? God may relent and change his mind; he may turn from his fierce anger, so that we do not perish.’

When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.

In yesterday’s reading we heard how the word of God falls, nourishes, and accomplishes its purposes. In today’s reading we have an example of this through Jonah. In obedience to God, Jonah delivers God’s message to the people of Nineveh and lives are dramatically changed!


Can you remember a time when you felt moved or compelled by God to go and do something or say something?


What was it like, to feel drawn to serve God in this way?

Or perhaps, you have been the one to receive a message or word from God? What was it like to hear such a message, and what impact did it have upon your life?


As you listen to the reading again, notice the impact that Jonah’s message had on the king.

God saw the people of Nineveh, saw their repentance, then changed his mind about the calamity he had thought about bringing upon them.

Can you let God see you today? Let him look at you, just as you are and be drawn once again into his holy presence.

You have given all to me,
To You, Lord, I return it.
Everything is Yours,
Do with it what you will.
Give me only Your love and Your grace.
That is enough for me.
Amen.