Wednesday of the First Week

Reflection

In the first reading, God asked Jonah to go to Nineveh to tell them to repent, but Jonah responded to God’s second request, not His first.  Jonah did not like the Ninevites and did not want to bring them the message of salvation.  He was concerned that once they heard the message, they would repent and turn from their evil ways and thus receive God’s mercy.  He felt that this pagan country who worshipped false gods should perish because they are not worthy of God’s goodness and mercy.

How many times does God have to speak to me?  I am slow to respond to His message because there are people in my world whom I feel it is okay to dislike, people whom I feel are evil, who do evil things, who make the lives of others miserable.  They may be neighbors, politicians, world or religious leaders, rapists, child molesters, people whom I hear called “scumbags”, “dregs of the earth”, “animals”, “lowlife”, etc.  They hurt others; they destroy lives.  Do they deserve forgiveness? 

Yet, each of us, each of them is made in the image and likeness of God.  Each is a revelation and presence of God incarnate, of God-Made-Man in our world.  “At the preaching of Jonah the Ninevites repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here.”  (Luke 11:32)

Rather than preach, choose the ONE person whom you find evil, or difficult to understand and pray for that person each day.  Pray that he/she will be touched by God’s mercy, will repent, and turn from evil ways.  Pray, too, that we may return to the Lord with our WHOLE heart for He is gracious and merciful and pray that we may be a Revelation of God’s Presence, or God-Incarnate in our world.

Prayer

Loving Father, help us to be merciful.   Loving Son of the Father, help us, by Your Holy Spirit, to see You in the other.  Amen.

Janice Couture, Member of the Worshipping Community

Scripture

First Reading: Jonah 3:1-10
Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19
Gospel: Luke 11:29-32

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website