25 February 2026 (Wednesday) / Lenten Weekday / Wednesday of the First Week in Lent

25 February 2026 (Wednesday)

Lenten Weekday.
Wednesday of the First Week in Lent.

Readings from the Bible of the Roman Catholic Church:

First Reading: Jonah 3: 1-10
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 51: 3-4, 12-13, 18-19
Verse Before the Gospel: Joel 2: 12-13
Gospel: Luke 11: 29-32

First Reading : Jonah 3:1‐10

The word of the Lord was addressed to Jonah: ‘Up!’ he said ‘Go to Nineveh, the great city, and preach to them as I told you to.’ Jonah set out and went to Nineveh in obedience to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was a city great beyond compare: it took three days to cross it. Jonah went on into the city, making a day’s journey. He preached in these words, ‘Only forty days more and Nineveh is going to be destroyed.’ And the people of Nineveh believed in God; they proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least. The news reached the king of Nineveh, who rose from his throne, took off his robe, put on sackcloth and sat down in ashes. A proclamation was then promulgated throughout Nineveh, by decree of the king and his ministers, as follows: ‘Men and beasts, herds and flocks, are to taste nothing; they must not eat, they must not drink water. All are to put on sackcloth and call on God with all their might; and let everyone renounce his evil behaviour and the wicked things he has done. Who knows if God will not change his mind and relent, if he will not renounce his burning wrath, so that we do not perish?’ God saw their efforts to renounce their evil behaviour, and God relented: he did not inflict on them the disaster which he had threatened.

Responsive Psalm : Psalm 50(51):3‐4,12‐13,18‐19

A humbled, contrite heart, O God, you will not spurn.
Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness.
  In your compassion blot out my offence.
O wash me more and more from my guilt
  and cleanse me from my sin.
A humbled, contrite heart, O God, you will not spurn.
A pure heart create for me, O God,
  put a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
  nor deprive me of your holy spirit.
A humbled, contrite heart, O God, you will not spurn.
For in sacrifice you take no delight,
  burnt offering from me you would refuse,
my sacrifice, a contrite spirit.
  A humbled, contrite heart you will not spurn.
A humbled, contrite heart, O God, you will not spurn.

Verse Before the Gospel: Joel 2: 12-13
12-13 Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart for I am gracious and merciful.

Gospel : Luke 11:29‐32

The crowds got even bigger, and Jesus addressed them:
  ‘This is a wicked generation; it is asking for a sign. The only sign it will be given is the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. On Judgement day the Queen of the South will rise up with the men of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here. On Judgement day the men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation and condemn it, because when Jonah preached they repented; and there is something greater than Jonah here.’

For our reflection today:

Jonah was inside the whale three nights and three days, a reference to Jesus in the tomb – to his death and his Resurrection – and this is the sign that Jesus promises, against hypocrisy, against this attitude of perfect religiosity, against this attitude of a group of Pharisees … The true sign of Jonah is what gives us the confidence that we will be saved by the blood of Christ. How many Christians, how many of them, think that they will be saved only by what they do, by their works! Works are necessary, but they are a consequence, a response to that merciful love that saves us. But works alone, without this merciful love, are useless. Instead, the “Jonah syndrome” is to trust only in one’s own personal righteousness, in one’s works. The “Jonah syndrome” leads us to hypocrisy, to self-righteousness, to being clean, perfect Christians, “because we do these works, because we keep the commandments, everything”. It is a serious affliction. And the sign of Jonah is the mercy of God in Jesus Christ, who died and rose again for us, for our salvation. (Pope Francis, Homily at Santa Marta, 14 October 2013)

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,
Pelayan Atasan Tertinggi / Most High Servant,
Yesus, Maria, Yusuf Pelayanan Kasih / Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love 
(Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)

My vocation is Blessed and Saints.

"I am the most humble of all the Saints in Heaven" Mary, Mother of God."

"I am the handmaid of the Lord, said Mary ‘let what you have said be done to me."

Mother Mary is the most humble Saint in Heaven and she is also the Mother of God for us all
(Luke 1:38)