Wednesday of the First Week of Lent
Have you ever felt so right about something that you made sure that everyone knew you were right? You knew that it was impossible to be wrong; until of course, someone gently made it clear to you that your perceptions or beliefs were way off base. This has probably happened to all of us. One time, I sacrificed a good friendship in exchange for being proven the one in the right. Later of course, I realized that my now ruined friendship left me with more sadness than joy in proving my point of view. It is now years later and my friend has forgiven me, still friendship is slow to come. Thanks to my friend letting go of his anger, he was able to give me a second chance.
As we join the story already in progress, we encounter Jonah receiving a second chance. For a second time, God asks Jonah to set out as a messenger for Nineveh and “announce to it a message that I will give you.” (Jon 3:2) Notice that Jonah, in faith, must set out on a journey to do the Lord’s will and that the Lord expects Jonah to trust in the message that will be given. Thus, Jonah went on a journey to witness the ways of the Lord in a foreign land. This scriptural reference proved the words of the prophet Ezekiel. The prophet called Israel to come to believe. In the face of their resistance, Ezekiel promised that the same message would not be lost on foreigners.
The gospel echoes these contrasting Old Testament images. Jesus admonishes the contemporary generation of Israelites for failing to fully believe. Jesus frames his own appearance and call for repentance with the story of Jonah. The condemnation of this generation would even come from Ninevite’s past who easily recognized God through the prophet of Jonah. They would certainly recognize that “there is something greater than Jonah here.” (Lk 11:32c) And indeed Jesus was greater than Jonah. Yet we who walk as faithful disciples in Jesus might be seen as greater than Jonah.
What is the journey that the Lord has sent us on? How are we resisting this journey? How is the Lord calling us to witness to a disciple even greater than Jonah? How could our Lenten sacrifices transform us to have clean hearts and how would the world recognize that we have been transformed in both our words and our deeds.
Lord, give me a steadfast spirit that will renew your presence within me. As my transformation occurs, help others recognize more deeply in me Your presence who was, who is and who will always be something greater than Jonah. Amen!
-Michael Montgomery