Wednesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time
(Jonah 4:1-11; Luke
11:1-4)
It is said that the
indigenous of mid-Guatemala were so fierce that their territory was called the
“land of war.” Then Dominican priest
Bartolomé de Las Casas proposed a plan to convert the hostile natives. Without any guns at all he and other
Dominicans would trach native traders the gospel. In turn the traders brought the good news
into rural areas. Soon the people were
evangelized and pacified. Since then,
there land has been renamed. It is called “Verapaz” or “true peace.” Today’s
first reading intimates a similar story.
Jonah has carried a
prejudice against the Ninevites. They
conquered and oppressed his ancestors who were brought into exile in Nineveh. Now they have repented of their sins and are
being shown God’s mercy. Jonah would
have them annihilated not exonerated. For
this reason, he broods over what his preaching at God’s insistence has wrought.
We might not want to
forgive those who have harmed us either.
Even though they apologize and extend a hand, we might want to see them
suffer. The Book of Jonah tells us that
this is not the attitude God expects from us.
Quite the contrary, we should thank God for converting the hearts of people. We should also rejoice with the people for
coming to know God’s mercy.
