RBWords

     For sheer vividness, it's hard to surpass the story of Jonah, especially his encounter with the whale!  Even Jesus mentions the story of Jonah in his own preaching (cf. Matt 12:39-41 and 16:4; Luke 11:29-32).  Jonah's story is well worth reading whole and entire!  There are two lessons that I continually draw on.  The first is that I can't escape God.  Jonah's encounter with the whale comes after he has tried to run away from God by catching a boat.  He makes the mistake of telling the crew that he's trying to run away from God, and when God sends a storm, the crew eventually realizes that Jonah has to go. (To their credit, they don't throw him overboard when he volunteers!)  Then comes the whale (or whatever sea creature your imagination cares to use.  Little kids will inform me that whales aren't fish!)  Jonah finally "gets the message," and sets out to convert Nineveh.  

     The second lesson that I draw from Jonah is that it's my job to preach and God's job to do with that preaching as God wishes.  In Jonah's case, he has the distinction of being the only preacher that a whole society listened to and changed their way of living!  It's not a distinction he wanted.  He wanted God to destroy Nineveh!  His expectations were clearly not those of God.  Jesus challenges his audience in the Gospel of Luke to follow the example of the Ninevites!  Jonah's example was to sulk because his prediction of the destruction of Nineveh failed to occur!  

     None of us can escape God.  The religious indifference or relativism of current secular culture is just one more attempt to escape.  Furthermore, we have to proclaim the message we have received and live it with integrity.  God will see to the results!   AMEN