Wednesday, October 8, 2025

 

Wednesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

(Jonah 4:1-11; Luke 11:1-4)

The story of Jonah testifies to the universal mission of God’s chosen people.  God called Israel to bring all the nations of the world to Himself.  This is another example of God’s care for creation.  Close to God, who is love, people thrive.  God’s unifying will is memorably expressed in the Isaiah 2: "All nations will come and say, 'Come, let's go to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of Jacob's God. He will teach us his ways, so we may walk in his paths'". 

Jonah rebelled at the thought of Israel’s enemies being converted and enjoying God’s favor.  In today’s first reading God reproaches Jonah for his narrow and spiteful viewpoint.  God tenderly expresses His love for all with His question to Jonah, “…  should I not be concerned over Nineveh, the great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot distinguish their right hand from their left …?”

Jesus Christ has brought God’s mission to its climax.  His death on the cross and resurrection spurred the preaching of God’s love to all the world.  We like Jonah have a role in this universal mission.  God wants us to tell others of His love in both with both words and deeds.

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

 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.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Wednesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

(Jonah 4:1-11; Luke 11:1-4)

If we haven’t heard the words ourselves, we certainly have heard them spoken to others.  A father or, at least, a person with power threatens a subordinate who did something wrong.  He says, “I’m going to teach you a lesson you’ll never forget.”  In today’s first reading God teaches Jonah a lesson that he is not likely to forget either.

Jonah has successfully converted the immense city of Nineveh to the Lord.  But he is not proud, happy, or, much less, grateful for the accomplishment.  He sulks because of his prejudice against Ninevites.  God then teaches Jonah a lesson about bias.  He gives the prophet a plant which brings him comfort.  Then suddenly God takes the soothing plant away.  Jonah is upset over the loss.  God explains that as the plant was to Jonah, the people of Nineveh were to God.    Because losing the people’s trust upset Him, the Lord sent Jonah to bring them back.  The prophet should not hate Ninevites but love them as brothers and sisters in the Lord.

There are two faults with trying to teach another “a lesson that they will never forget.”  First, the one teaching is putting herself or himself in the place of God.  There are situations in which this is legitimate.  However, the person who assumes that authority should take care that he or she has a right to it.  Second and more importantly, God always acts out of love.  He wants people to repent of their sins so that they may rejoice with Him.  He does not act out of spite as does one intent on teaching another a lesson that will never be forgotten.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Wednesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

(Jonah 4:1-11; Luke 11:1-4)

Emergency airline safety often requires speed. In the case of an evacuation, everyone should be out of the plane in ninety seconds – a real feat as it takes at least ten times that to fill up the plane. Of course, to facilitate rapid exit, personal belongings are left behind. This represents a considerable sacrifice when one must leave behind a computer. Yet there is no real alternative when human lives are at stake. In the first reading God calls upon Jonah to make a similar realization.

The Book of the prophet Jonah was written after Jews became aware that the Lord God was more than their personal savior. He is, of course, creator and redeemer of all peoples. Because Jonah at first does not understand the universality of divine love, God utilizes a simple plant to teach him. As God says, if Jonah could mourn the demise of a plant, should not He (God) have greater remorse over the possible loss of the men and woman He created?

Sometimes we feel frustrated over inconveniences that are forced upon us for the sake of others. A good example is having to park our cars away from our destination while handicap parking is readily available nearby. In these instances we might remember Jonah’s lesson. People with great needs may be the beneficiaries of our sacrifices.