27th Week in Ord. Time, Wednesday – 11th October 2023 – Jonah 4,1-11; Lk 11,1-4
Unchanged Heart
In the first reading, Jonah is angry because God will not destroy Nineveh and its people as Jonah has announced. He preached the “doomsday” message and didn’t want to look like a prophet whose words do not come true. Jonah, as a true human, becomes upset that God is so merciful with the Ninevites. Right at the start, Jonah fled from God because he did not want to meet the fate of the prophets – being rejected and possibly murdered. When he finally is directed back to doing God’s will and announces God’s message, he is not persecuted but is listened to by the Ninevites. Now Jonah became furious because he believes that God should punish them. He really doesn’t rejoice with God’s mercy and forgiveness because it puts him down as a prophet, who is not believable. Even after God provides for Jonah shade under the leaves of a fast-growing plant, Jonah still misses the point of God’s desire to have all people return to his fold. Jonah does admit that God is known for divine mercy, but he believes that applies only for himself and the chosen ones.
