I have a confession to make. You know how we always want things to be smooth in our lives . . . and there not to be any conflict. It is not pleasant to have tension between people, but especially when it with someone that we are expected to be close to.
Well, I have tension with a certain family member. On the outside, things look fine between us but actually, things haven’t been going so well for a while. I know what would improve the situation . . . that person should change. And perhaps apologize to me for their behavior.
Well put that thought on hold for a bit . . . because I want to talk to you about the character mentioned in the first reading. That character is Jonah. Now we all probably know something about Jonah . . . or of his famous situation of being swallowed by a whale. Well, let me fill you in on the details.
Most biblical scholars believe that the story of Jonah didn’t happen. Now remember as we learned in the FIRE talks . . . all stories are true and some actually happened. There is truth in the story, but probably not true in the reality that Jonah actually existed, rather he was to represent (or symbolize) something. All stories are true and some actually happened. This story was created to teach a lesson about God. Think of the story as a parable.
So here’s the setting, about 450 years before Jesus was born, the Israelites were finally freed from slavery in Babylon. Now remember, this was after they were freed from slavery in Egypt then they come to promised land and they are taken into captivity again . . . but now they are free and they are not happy. They are still pretty mad at anyone who comes from Babylon or Nineveh . . . which basically turned into being mad at anyone who was a foreigner.
Nineveh was considered a big “sin city” . . . i.e. filled with corruption, prostitution, mayhem and all sorts of bad things. Most Israelites of the day felt, “well just ignore it and it will destroy itself.” But along comes Jonah (who probably wasn’t a real person . . . think of this story more like a parable) and God wants Jonah to go in this direction [point to the right] and convert the people living in Nineveh (called Ninevites). But most Israelites would balk at that idea, for just let the Ninevites be bad for we want to see them burn in hell.
God says to Jonah, go that way [point to right] and Jonah says, “No way” and he goes in the complete opposite direction [point to left] to a town of Tarshish. But on his way there, Jonah is on a boat, and a storm comes and the people on the boat feel that the storm is there because they didn’t listen to God. And Jonah finally admits, “Well it could be my fault for God wanted me to go there [right] and I went there [left]. So they toss him overboard and immediately the storm stops and Jonah is swallowed up by a big fish. The text never mentions the word “whale” but that is what most of us think of.
Jonah sits inside the whale for three days. Three is a holy number. Inside the whale, Jonah finally decides, “You know, maybe I should do what God wants me to do.” The whale then spits him up onto the shore of Nineveh. Isn’t that convenient? The first reading of today starts with Jonah on this foreign land . . . where he announces, “God will give you all 40 days to clean up your act or God will destroy this city.” 40 is also a holy number. The Ninevites obeyed and God did not destroy the city.
Now this story would bother Israelites on many levels . . . and it probably bothers Christians on many levels. First of all that God shows mercy to anyone. Some think, “No, God should only be nice to people like me who go to Church and obey all the rules. God shouldn’t be forgiving to THOSE people . . . . and I want to see them “burn for their sins.”
Second, that where God wants each of us to go [point to the right] isn’t usually where we want to go. God wants us to go in the direction of forgiveness and understanding and compassion. But that is difficult. Because I want to be right and in control and I want those people who I don’t get along with to change.
But Jesus calls the disciples in the gospel into an immediate change. Jesus calls us. Calls us to change. Calls us to look at our own behavior and action. Calls us to forgive and be loving.
I want to go in this direction [left] with that family member. But God calls me (and all of us) to go in the direction [right] of being nice, taking the first steps of forgiveness, start thinking and saying more affirming things about “those people.” I want that person to change, but maybe it is me who needs to change.
Author Mayo Angelo said, “If you don’t like something, change it. If you cannot change it change your attitude.”
And you know how during these four weeks between Christmas and Lent we are focusing on praying for others? Well this is great example . . . our prayers don’t need to be “change her” or “make sure he stops doing this”. . . but to pray for their well-being. And to pray that everything is going good for them. E.g. that they be at their best. And perhaps it is not they that need to change . . but it is us. My prayer for this family member is “help me God to accept the situation. Help me to become more tolerant of how they act. Help me to change.”
Author Mayo Angelo said, “If you don’t like something, change it. If you cannot change it change your attitude.”