Called to make tough decisions

JONAH’S CALL:   In today’s first reading we are told the story of Jonah.  Like Jonah, each of us, at times, is called to carry out God’s will in daunting circumstances in our lives.  It takes much courage to walk into our “Nineveh’s.” Sometimes we take detours just as Jonah did.  It may take us awhile to come out of hiding and acknowledging the fact that things are not going well because we are avoiding doing what  we know we are called to do.  Like Jonah we may not cherish the task ahead of us.  We may be scared of looking like a fool, as Jonah was.  “What if I’m proven wrong?”  “What if the outcome is not what I anticipate it to be?”  All kinds of reasons may lurk behind our cowardly actions or our avoidance of tough decisions.    Somehow, God gets through to us and we “plow ahead,” taking on the tough issue. Consequently, disaster does not happen and the pain was worth our courageous efforts. We survived the embarrassing situation, learned to listen better to God’s call, repented and ended up being proud of who we are and who we are becoming. God is, too!