October 14. Jonah’s story. When she sat down and thought about it Antonette realised that there is a bit of Jonah in all of us. “The story   tells of a Jew sent by God to a town to call people to repent. He didn’t want them to repent, but to be punished.  Yes, after running away from God he was punished by being swallowed by a whale.   After that he did eventually go and preach to those wicked and brutal people of Nineveh and they did repent, but his initial response was, “No way, these wicked people should be punished.”   How often have we heard people say things like, “He should rot in hell for what he has done to that innocent child.” The brutal reality of Al Qaeda and terrorism today and wars being waged in a number of countries are very much like the time of Nineveh and in the same part of the world. But God loves all people & wants them to be saved.  Jonah eventually agreed that God can forgive and show mercy to anyone who repents.

Reflect, share, act. Scripture:  The men of Nineveh will arise at the judgement with this generation and condemn it for they repented at the preaching of Jonah and behold something greater than Jonah is here.  Jonah became a sign to the men of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.  Luke 11:29-32.   Pope Francis:  Mercy is not only the working of the Father; it becomes a criterion for knowing who his true children are. AL 310.   Human beings, while capable of the worst, are also capable of rising above themselves choosing again what is good and making a new start.   No system can completely suppress our openness to what is good, true and beautiful, or our God-given ability to respond to his grace at work deep in our hearts.  LS205   Action and Prayer.  Are there things in my own relationship I need to forgive or repent over? Urgent prayer is needed too for conversion to end the brutal wars being waged today, even against nature. Pray: Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in us the fire of your love, so that walking together we may renew the face of the earth.