Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary
(Jonah 1:1-2:2.11; Luke 10:25-37)
Unlike religious
zealots the Bible tends to be inclusive.
Last week the Old Testament readings at mass chastised Israel for cavorting
with foreigners. Today the reading features God’s effort to
save Assyria, one of Israel’s fiercest enemies. God sends Jonah, the reluctant prophet, to
convert the nation which He also loves.
But Jonah has evidently developed a bias against
Assyria. He disobediently boards a ship heading
away from the nation to which God has sent him.
Likely depressed by his sin, Jonah sleeps through a violent storm that
arises. Interestingly, the pagan sailors
ask Jonah to pray to his God for deliverance.
These same barbarians question the morality of Jonah’s recommendation
that they throw him overboard.
There are good people everywhere. It can even be said that the majority of
people everywhere are good. We should
not make blanket statements condemning the people of Afghanistan, Somalia or North
Korea. Then again evil is always lurking
over us so that even the best of peoples commit egregious offenses. Ours is to repent of sin both personal and
social. At the same time we pray that the
faults of other individuals and nations be corrected.
