Today’s first reading begins with the seemingly benign statement: “The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time.” Jonah is commanded: “Set out for the great city of Nineveh and announce to it the message that I will tell you.” Jonah had already been given this command at the beginning of the book: “The word of the LORD came to Jonah… Set out for the great city of Nineveh and preach against it; for their wickedness has come before me” (Jonah 1:1-2). What did Jonah do this first time? Instead of heading east to Nineveh Jonah flees west to Tarshish.
Today’s first reading picks up after Jonah spent some time praying and reflecting in the belly of a whale. Now when he is given a second chance Jonah heads east to deliver God’s condemnation to the city of Nineveh, the capital of Israel’s ancient enemy, the Assyrians. Jonah delivers God’s word and all the people of Nineveh repent: “the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth” (Jonah 3:5). God forgives and no longer threatens to destroy the city. God’s refusal to destroy this city and to show mercy to this enemy angers Jonah: “I knew that you are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger, abounding in kindness, repenting of punishment” (Jonah 4:2). Jonah wants God to show mercy to himself and his fellow Israelites but not to the outsider or to the enemy.
The book of Jonah is a “fish story.” It is not history but a parable, a story to teach and instruct. What does it teach? God is a gracious and merciful God. God shows mercy to all people who turn to him. The book of Jonah teaches what Jesus will later teach:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.” (Matthew 5:43-45).
Today let us remember God’s love and mercy and reflect on these words of Pope Francis:
“God never tires of forgiving us, but we sometimes tire of asking Him to forgive us. Let us never tire of asking God’s forgiveness. He is the loving Father who always forgives, who has that heart of mercy for all of us.”
Image: “Whale!” by tomasu.co.uk is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.