Jonah began his journey through the city, and when he had gone only a single day’s walk announcing, “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be overthrown,”
the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth. (Jonah 3:4-5 NABRE)
Most of us know the story of Jonah being swallowed by the whale, but many of us don't realize that he became a great prophet of God. At first, he was reluctant to do God's work, but eventually he did what God intended for him to do, and in some ways he even prefigures Jesus.
God sent Jonah to the city of Ninevah as a messenger to tell the people about God's plan to destroy the city because its people had become so wicked. When the Ninevites heard Jonah's warning, something really special and unique happened: They believed him! How unusual that is. In fact, they repented in their hearts and proclaimed a fast in the hope that God might relent, which he did.
Our society today probably isn't all that different from Ninevah. Even today, in our sophistication and learning, the intentions of our hearts still make us unclean. And so we should take note of Jonah's warning and heed the humble example of the Ninevites, expressing sorrow and regret for our sins--which are those thoughts and words and actions which turn us away from God. Further, we should take action to change our hearts in those areas which are most challenging to us.
Today, I will seek to humbly recognize my own sinfulness, and to ask the Lord to help me change this by his power, not my own.
Blessed Sebastian of Aparicio, who helped men and women recognize their God-given dignity and destiny, pray for us.
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