3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today’s first reading is six verses from the book of the prophet Jonah.  The 3^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B is the only time we read from the book of the prophet Jonah at Mass, so we hear it only once every three years, and even then it’s just a few verses.  That’s a shame to me, since Jonah is one of my favorite books in the Old Testament.  He and I have much deal in common, so I like to read it when I struggle with Jonah-like moments in my life.

The whole book of Jonah is only four short chapters, a total of 48 verses, so I would encourage you to take some time this week to read Jonah in its entirety.  It won’t take long and it gives us a good deal to think about.

In today’s brief selection, Jonah seems like a hero.  He preaches the word from God, the pagan people of Nineveh listen and obey him and are saved from destruction thanks to God’s mercy.  But there is so much more to the whole story.

For starters, today’s reading is Jonah’s second chance to do what God asked of him.  When he was first told what God wanted to do, he refused to do it and ran away from the Lord.  He was moved by hatred and fear and perhaps laziness. He got on a ship and headed in the other direction.  But he found out fast, you really can’t run away from God and get away with it.  A huge storm comes up, Jonah gets tossed overboard by the others who don’t want to die because of Jonah.  But he doesn’t die; rather, a huge fish swallows him and he spends three days in its belly.  That’s Chapter 1.

Chapter 2 is the beautiful and desperate prayer that Jonah offers from the belly of the fish. God hears the prayer, has the fish vomit Jonah onto the land, and that is Chapter 2.  God now sends Jonah again to the great city and this time Jonah is obedient.  His preaching meets with immediate success on his first day in the city, the people are saved from death and destruction.  Chapter 3 ends well, for everyone but Jonah.

After all that, it turns out that Jonah is disappointed and upset.  He is angry that God did not destroy the people.  God then teaches him a lesson by having a big plant grow up to protect Jonah from the scorching sun, but then God has a worm eat the plant, leaving Jonah more upset than before.  God then points out to Jonah that he is annoyed that a plant has died, but wanted the inhabitants of Nineveh, over 120, 000, to die.  One can only hope Jonah got the point. That’s the end of Chapter 4 and the book.

So why do I like the book and what do Jonah and I have in common?  First, since the Ninevites were fierce enemies of the Jews, Jonah had no interest in helping them.  He hated them and that hatred was controlling his actions.  He also questioned God in his heart for God’s willingness to love the Ninevites and offer them a chance to turn from away from their wickedness. 

Then Jonah’s worst fear came true when the people listened to him.  God got God’s way and the people were not killed.  Jonah was unhappy and bitter and disappointed that God did not see things the way he did.  When I am honest with myself, I know that I too have had hatred in my heart, and have questioned God’s way of doing things.  I also have had the fear that things were not going to go the way I think they should.  Granted, I may not have been as harsh as Jonah (or have I?), but all of that has been in my heart at various times.

Also, when I don’t like what God is asking of me, I hesitate, or ignore it, or don’t do it at all.  Instead, I try to get away or at least distract myself.  And, inevitably, God causes some storm, even if it’s a lack of peace in my heart, to envelop me, forcing me to reconsider.  Reluctantly, then I take the second chance that I know God is waiting for me to act upon.

Finally, there are not a few times when I am not merciful and instead look forward to seeing others get what is coming to them.  When that doesn’t happen, I can get resentful and perhaps even angry at God because bad people don’t deserve such a break.  Jonah, like the older brother in the parable of the prodigal son, and I, share that same harsh pettiness and desire for justice, as we see it.

Reading the story of Jonah reminds me of those areas of weakness within me and serves as a reminder to pray again to be delivered from such sinful tendencies.  Take a few minutes, read the book of Jonah yourself and see what you think.  God may speak a word to you too.