Lord, You are Merciful and Gracious"

Today's Mass Readings

The stormy episode between God and Jonah finally comes to a climax in today’s first reading. This story contrasts God’s will against Jonah’s stubbornness, God’s mercy against Jonah’s vengeful nature and God’s universal love against Jonah’s desire for exclusivity. Finally, God is able to persuade Jonah to see faith, the world and himself in the way that God sees things. It is a vision of universal peace and love. Jonah’s anger against God is clearly unjustified. Jonah expected God to destroy Nineveh. He could not understand how God could let the enemies of Israel escape punishment. Thus, even though Jonah after his initial reluctance preached repentance to the Nineveh, he did not wish that they repent or for God to show God’s mercy to them. God surprises Jonah by treating Nineveh fairly. God’s argument is reasonable: If Jonah has reason enough to be angry because his gourd plant was killed by worm, how much more does it hurt God to see an entire city destroyed, even if they are not his chosen people? Unlike Jonah’s wishes God’s love and mercy is universal. Yes, sometimes God wishes that those we dislike or hate are saved.

The prayer that Jesus taught his disciples is a universal prayer. As Christians perhaps each day we pray that God’s kingdom may come. This prayer is more and more relevant in our times when the world is becoming more and more Jonah like in its attitudes toward other nations and cultures. Like Jonah we would like to impose our likes and dislike upon God and we pray that we will always be the winners. However, God’s will is that all people become part of God’s Kingdom. The “Our Father” is a universal prayer.

Both, the prayer Jesus taught, and the Psalm response are meaningful ways to end today’s reflection.

R. Lord, you are merciful and gracious.
Have mercy on me, O Lord,
for to you I call all the day.
Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

R. Lord, you are merciful and gracious.
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in kindness to all who call upon you.
Hearken, O LORD, to my prayer
and attend to the sound of my pleading.

R. Lord, you are merciful and gracious.
All the nations you have made shall come
and worship you, O Lord,
and glorify your name.
For you are great, and you do wondrous deeds;
you alone are God.

Lord, you are merciful and gracious.