THE JONAH IN ME

SABBATH

One of my favorite books in the Old Testament is the Book of Jonah. Whenever I teach about the prophets, my students always love most my lecture about this strange Jonah. And so I don’t like to miss writing at least one reflection about him before the liturgy moves on tomorrow to another prophet. Jonah was sent to evil Nineveh to announce God’s punishment. In his righteousness, he wanted the city to be destroyed — and that by all means. But God, seeing the repentance of the people, from the king down to the animals, responds to this public outpouring of penance and decides to spare the city. Should Jonah not be happy? He should be but he was very angry, so angry that he wanted to die. Can a God be trusted who does not punish the evildoers? Can a God be trusted who sent him all the way to Nineveh to announce God’s judgment and then nothing happens? Jonah wanted God’s enemies destroyed, not saved. Before we shake our heads at such a strange prophet, let us look into the deepest recesses of our hearts and check whether there is not also a little Jonah lurking. Oh, how we speak of justice and God’s justice! God will reward the good and punish the bad people. That’s His justice. And so, when we encounter a person who has done something evil, especially to us, we easily say it’s karma, meaning that we are wishing somehow that God would punish that person. And when it does not happen? We cry out: Where is God’s justice? But God is not only just; He is also very merciful. Often God’s mercy is stronger than His justice. For God is love. We read in Scripture that God does not want the death of the sinner but that the sinner repents and live. Are we not sometimes so justice-oriented that we forget to be merciful? Instead of murmuring about karma, why don’t we fall on our knees and pray for the conversion of an evil person?  Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD   Reflection Question: Do I pray for people who have harmed me? Do I wish, deep in my heart, that God may punish them? Do I pray for them?   Lord, thank You for this insight that You gave me through the prophet Jonah. Thank You for being so patient and merciful with me. Help me to be more merciful towards others.   St. Flavia, pray for us.