Call to Conversion

In today's first reading, Jonah 3: 1-10, God asked Jonah to "'set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce to it the message that I will tell you' so Jonah [after being asked a second time] made ready and went to Nineveh, according to the Lord's bidding....Jonah began his journey through the city, and had gone but a single day's walk. announcing,  'Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,' when the people of Nineveh believed God; they  proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth....When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he relented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them.

Several things of which to take note: Number one, that Jonah did God's bidding and what was being asked of him was no small task. Nineveh was a large city and it would take three days to get through it. Number two, the message Jonah was asked to deliver was a harsh one: "Nineveh, in 40 days you will be destroyed if you do not turn from your evil ways." Number three, the people listened and repented of their evil ways.  Number four, God changed His mind and showed the people mercy once they repented of their sinful ways!

What would you or I do if God sent us a messenger to let  us know that, in forty days,
we will be destroyed if we do not turn from our evil ways?  Would we listen? Would we do penance, admit our wrongdoing and turn from our mediocrity, our selfishness, our divisiveness, our prejudicial and judgmental ways of relating to people who are different from us, smarter than us, more successful than us? Would we turn from our lazy and undisciplined ways of living our faith, from the lackadaisical attitudes that "anything goes these days"?  Would we stop idolizing those who are brazenly wicked, covering up the truth of corruption in high places,lying for ourselves and others so as to avoid the price of discipleship?

 Finally, would you or I simply, vehemently and boastfully dismiss the messenger, saying: "What foolishness!" "This person does not know what he/she is talking about!"  "I can't be bothered with persons who think they are better than most of us!"  "I'm doing nothing wrong but only following what everyone else is doing. So why should I change my thinking or choosing?"

Recognize Wrong Paths and Turn Around as did the Ninevites!

What an incredible God! Today's first reading, Jonah 3:1-10, tells the story of how God saw the wickedness of the Ninevites and did not allow them to continue without being confronted and given a chance to repent.  He cared! He acted by sending Jonah to warn them that they were gong down a path that would lead to their destruction. The Ninevites listened, repented and changed their lives for the better!

God does the same for us, sending us warnings and inviting us to repent of our wrongdoing and change our lives for the better. He does so for individuals,  communities, municipalities, families, churches, nations , countries,  businesses, governments, and so on.  God is at work when creation groans against us as the result of being abused or sinned against. Other persons rise up to confront us when we harm them. Nations confront one another. God uses whatever instrument is available and whoever accepts his/her responsibility to be the eyes and ears of Christ to call for repentance, just as God used Jonah.

Am I listening? What in my life do I need to change to become the person God calls me to become in Christ Jesus?  What attitudes need changing? Which of my behaviors do I need to challenge as not being in conformity with Gospel teachings?  Is pride, gluttony, avarice, greediness, selfishness, hatred, prejudice, judgmentalism, sexism, envy, jealousy dominating my behaviors? Or am I following the Spirit's Wisdom and cooperating with grace to act as Jesus acted: generously, humbly,  lovingly, compassionately, patiently, honestly, caringly, mercifully? Do I , like Jesus, pray for my persecutors: "Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing"? Do I conform my will to the will of my Creator God? Or am I following evil spirits whom St. Michael and the good angels  cast out of God's presence and who, now, are determined to keep us out of heaven as well?