Wednesday
First Week of Lent
Jonah 3: 1-10
Luke 11: 29-32
Jonah had been commanded by God to
preach to the pagan city of Nineveh, but he fled from the task. In a storm at sea he fell overboard and was
swallowed by a whale and then cast up on a strange shore, and God told him a
second time to do what he commanded.
This time Jonah obeyed, and the people did repent.
The whale story, which is not part of
today’s reading, is an allegory. The
lesson is important. The people of
Nineveh repented, and this is pointed out as a striking contrast to the
Israelites, who didn’t pay attention to the messengers from God – the prophets.
The behavior of the people of Nineveh –
the proclamation of a fast by the King, the repentance of all the people –
saved the city, which is precisely why Jonah tried to run away from the
job. Jonah feared that they would
repent.
To Jonah God was the God of the Jews
only. But the point of the story is that
God is concerned for all people.
In the gospel, people wanted Jesus to
give them a sign or proof that he was the emissary from God that he claimed to
be.
The only proof Jesus would give is what
Jonah offered at Nineveh. Jonah
presented them with the word of God and they responded – they repented.
Jesus would do the same – preach the
word of God, and call the people to repent.
Jesus was trying to have them learn from the Scriptures. What happened in the past could happen now.
Both of today’s readings call for faith
in God. We are assured in both readings
that God cares for all mankind. He is
not just the God of “some” people he is the God of ALL people. Salvation is for all who will accept him.
This Lent we need to work on accepting
Jesus and all people as children of God worthy of love and respect.
- by Fr. Bill Kramer
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