This Week's Gospel Message
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
The word of the LORD came to Jonah, saying: “Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce
to it the message that I will tell you.” So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh,
according to the LORD’S bidding. Jonah 3:1-3
Jonah was called by God to a particular mission in life and he ran as fast as he could the other way. He did all he could to avoid his calling. In the end, God won and Jonah went to Nineveh to preach. The best part is that the people of Nineveh listened to him and changed their lives! Jonah’s preaching was a great success.
Imagine what would have happened if Jonah would have just listened to God from the very beginning. All his troubles could have been avoided.
The truth is that Jonah did endure all of these difficulties. And though we may be tempted to judge him for that but we may want to be careful. Because it’s entirely possible that God actually allowed him, by an act of His divine will, to go through these struggles for a reason. It’s entirely possible, that it was part of the wisdom of God that Jonah, at first, resisted His will. Why would God do this? Most likely for our sake, in that Jonah becomes a great example for us. It seems clear that one of the main lessons from Jonah’s life was that God is relentless in His love for us and is relentless in calling us to embrace His will. So Jonah’s life and actions become prophetic and teach us a great lesson.
God does not give up on us. He does not simply throw us away the moment we turn from Him. He takes our brokenness, lack of resolve, failings, weaknesses and uses them for His glory and His perfect plan.
Reflect, today, on whether you are discouraged in life and feel like you have failed in following the will of God for your life. Don’t give up or lose hope, God hasn’t !!
Lord, You never give up on me. You never lose hope.
Give me the grace to change, to listen and to respond.
Use my weakness and brokenness and let Your strength
and grace shine through.
Jesus, I trust in You.
~My Catholic Life
