Our Gospel and both readings for this Sunday illustrate three different ways God urgently appeals to His creation to change their lives to accept His ways rather than the worlds. What we are missing, especially in the first reading for example, is the back story which gives us an insight how we as humans need to understand and sometimes find it difficult to accept God in our lives.
In our first reading from the Book of the Prophet Jonah, we receive the middle of the story. Jonah walks 60 miles in three days to tell 120,000 people that God loves them, offers them mercy if they repent and forgives them to save Israel from being conquered. Assyria was an enemy that persecutes the prophet’s people and God’s chosen race. If this is all we knew about the story, our reaction might be how faithful and dedicated Jonah is and how we need to be as proactive in our walk with the Lord.
What we wouldn’t know, however, is Jonah’s reluctance and disobedience prior to this when he believes he can run from God by fleeing on a boat. God, not to be denied his call to Jonah, has him thrown overboard, swallowed by a large fish and spat out prior to the walk through Nineveh. What is even more improbable is that the Assyrian king listens and orders everyone to repent, including the animals.
Jonah instead of rejoicing that God’s message was heard and acted upon, hides in anger under a tree and asks that God kill him. God, in a question format, tells him in so many words that he is wrong to be angry because God’s love, mercy and forgiveness are for all, not just the chosen race. Love of an enemy was not yet in the vocabulary of those who followed Yahweh.
St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians also seems to be a strange approach when he tells followers to ignore what seems to be the way of temperate living. Part of his message is based on the belief that Jesus would be returning soon (possibly in their lifetime) and the other has to do with not getting too comfortable with a life that offers no future beyond the years one lives on earth.
Finally, in St. Mark’s Gospel Jesus tells His future apostles to abandon the only life they have ever known to start a new one that will bring all to truth and an eternal life of peace, joy and happiness. And, they did it, abandoning their life as fisherman, based upon God’s call to change.
Our Catholic Church teaches us to convert our lives from whatever we were doing contrary to faith prior to our Baptism so we can become disciples. And, though we have free will to make that decision, if we do not, we are taking a journey toward condemnation. Obviously, from the readings and Gospel, there is a great urgency on God’s part to change our hearts to His ways. The responses, however, are quite diverse among current disciples and future followers.
Jonah’s reluctance as a hand-picked prophet by God, along with his anger, indicates he is out of sync with God’s ways. His reliance on Mosaic Law for the chosen people does not allow others to be gifted with God’s salvation; a contradiction to biblical teachings. As for the Assyrian king, he was smart enough to understand God’s calling as relief from destruction.
The Corinthians believed they were following what St. Paul taught them, but they became too comfortable and fell back into their old bad habits. This reminder helped them understand God’s call to eternal salvation not to follow the world’s success plan for wealth, fame and power only on earth.
Jesus’ teachings and humility attracted Andrew, Simon, James and John to immediately drop their fishing nets and leave the very occupation that provided food, shelter and clothing for their families. Though God is not asking us to abandon a caregiver attitude, He is calling us to make sure it is an essential part of our lives in all that we do in faith, hope and love.
Let us allow our free will to be open to God’s call for change. It may not be easy or comfortable. However, it will make a difference not only
for the work we do on God’s behalf here on earth, but for our future life in
God’s Kingdom in Heaven. It is both
necessary and essential.
Reading 2: First Corinthians 7: 29-31
Good insight, Deacon Jim, and well written.
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