The word of the Holy One came to Jonah saying: “Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce to it the message that I will tell you.” So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh, according to God’s bidding. Now Nineveh was an enormously large city; it took three days to go through it.
Jonah began his journey through the city, and had gone out but a single day’s walk announcing, “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,” when the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth.
When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil ways, God repented of the threatened evils against them and did not carry them out.
Jonah 3.1-5, 10
Jonah models narrow thinking.
Sunday’s first reading makes the prophet Jonah appear a successful preacher rather than the petulant, poor excuse for a prophet that he is. The book of Jonah is a spoof on religious thinking that is too small to include God’s mercy. When God calls Jonah to go to the great city of Nineveh and call them to repent from their wickedness, Jonah jumps on a boat heading in the other direction.
A terrible storm comes up as the runaway prophet sleeps. The sailors throw cargo overboard to stay afloat. They cast lots to identify the cause of the storm and find Jonah the culprit. The sailors throw him overboard to save their ship.
A whale swallows Jonah, who prays and repents during three days in its belly. The whale spits him out on dry land and Jonah goes to Nineveh and warns the people God will destroy the city in 40 days. All the people and the king believe the warning; they fast and pray. They turn from evil and violence.
Their repentance angers the petulant prophet. His worst fears have played out; the people of Nineveh quickly repent, God forgives them, his warnings look foolish, and his enemies are in solid with God.
Jonah sulks and prays to die in the chapter that follows Sunday’s reading. God’s mercy bewilders and angers him. To teach him a lesson, God provides shade for the sulking prophet with a fast-growing bush that withers just as fast the next day. Jonah gets angry all over again. God makes a point: “You care about a bush that you didn’t even grow, and I’m not supposed to care about the whole people of Nineveh?” As Creator, God cares about all, including Jonah.
- Where is your own personal belly of the whale where you have had to turn to prayer?
- To what call are you reluctant to respond? What do you run from?
- Why prefer justice for our enemies rather than mercy?
- What can we learn with Jonah about not demonizing our enemies?