Jonah (Jonah 3:1-5, 10) was a reluctant prophet. He was called by God to preach against the city of Nineveh because, “their wickedness has come up before me.” Instead, Jonah attempted to run away from his divine commission. He boarded a ship, was cast overboard and swallowed by a great fish, rescued in a marvelous manner, and sent on his way to Nineveh, the traditional enemy of Israel.
This is the first reading for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. It is a parable of mercy. God’s threatened punishment is an expression of His mercy moving men and women to repentance. The people of Nineveh sought God’s forgiveness and the Lord forgave them and did not destroy Nineveh. As Jonah said in chapter 4:2, “I knew that you are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger, rich in clemency, loathe to punish.”
While we never want to presume upon God’s mercy or take it for granted, the mercy of God is there for those who truly repent of their sins. The mercy of God can and does transform minds, hearts and lives. Nineveh was saved and we have been saved by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is for us to embrace that salvation and live lives in accordance with the will of God so that we may share in everlasting life.