Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Wednesday, 12 March 2014 - Catholic Meditations

Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Wednesday, 12 March 2014 - Catholic Meditations

Meditations: Jonah 3: Yahweh’s word came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I give you.”

3 So Jonah arose, and went to Nineveh, according to Yahweh’s word. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey across. 4 Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried out, and said, “In forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown!”

5 The people of Nineveh believed God; and they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from their greatest even to their least. 6 The news reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and took off his royal robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 He made a proclamation and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, “Let neither man nor animal, herd nor flock, taste anything; let them not feed, nor drink water; 8 but let them be covered with sackcloth, both man and animal, and let them cry mightily to God. Yes, let them turn everyone from his evil way, and from the violence that is in his hands. 9 Who knows whether God will not turn and relent, and turn away from his fierce anger, so that we might not perish?”

10 God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way. God relented of the disaster which he said he would do to them, and he didn’t do it.

1st Week of Lent

Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh. (Jonah 3:3)

What a great prophet! Here’s a man who journeys into the dark heart of a savage empire to proclaim a message that may well get him killed. But he tackles his God-given assignment and gets incredible results. Courageous, selfless, obedient: that’s Jonah!

Just kidding.

That may be the Jonah of chapter 3. But if you look at the other three chapters of the Book of Jonah, you’ll discover that our “hero” is not really all that heroic. He runs away from God’s first call to Nineveh; he puts others at risk to save his own skin; he’s unmerciful, self-pitying, and angry (Jonah 1:3, 7; 4:1-3, 9). As the story ends, Jonah sits sulking while God patiently reasons with him.

Jonah’s full portrait is not a pretty picture! But whose is? We all have our unseemly moments of rebelling against God’s plan or sinking into self-absorption. In fact, as we give more attention to prayer this Lent, we may see areas where we’re being called to be less like Jonah and more like Jesus. As we do, we can find at least two encouraging messages in Jonah’s story.

First: Just because you have faults and failings doesn’t mean God can’t work through you. So often, seeing our dark corners and unheroic characteristics, we tell ourselves that we’re too weak and imperfect to undertake some calling that God puts before us. But God isn’t hampered by our limitations! His power working through us is what brings results. Does he seek our cooperation and holiness? Of course. But even if our motives are mixed, even if some parts of us are not beautiful yet, we can still do something beautiful for God.

Second: The work God gives you to do for the good of others is for your good too. It wasn’t just to save the Ninevites that God sent them a prophet: he wanted to save the prophet as well! Likewise, when God calls you to give of yourself, it’s also to give you more of his life. Even if the task reveals a hidden fault, as with Jonah, God is there to flood the area with his light and healing—to do you good.

“Lord, thank you for the story of my brother Jonah. And tell me please: what beautiful thing are you calling me to do for you today?” Amen!

Psalm 51: 3 For I know my transgressions.

    My sin is constantly before me.

4 Against you, and you only, have I sinned,

    and done that which is evil in your sight;

that you may be proved right when you speak,

    and justified when you judge.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation.

    Uphold me with a willing spirit.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways.

    Sinners shall be converted to you.

18 Do well in your good pleasure to Zion.

    Build the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of righteousness,

    in burnt offerings and in whole burnt offerings.

Then they will offer bulls on your altar.

Luke 11: 29 When the multitudes were gathering together to him, he began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks after a sign. No sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah, the prophet. 30 For even as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will also the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 The Queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and will condemn them: for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, one greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, one greater than Jonah is here.

-------