January 25,
2009
Third
Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)
by
Timothy Schehr
Jonah
3:1-10
X
1
Corinthians 7:29-31
X
Mark
1:14-20
Peter, Andrew, and the sons of Zebedee were familiar with the sea and how to
harvest it. Peter and his bother knew just how to cast a net to get optimum
results. James and John understood the value of keeping their nets in good
order. One break in a net and its usefulness is greatly reduced. But once
they meet Jesus they learn their skills as fishermen all over again to bring
people into the kingdom of God. They learn how to cast and to mend nets of
an entirely different kind.
In the final verse of the gospel reading James and John follow
Jesus leaving their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men. In
chapters that follow this scene will be replaced by scenes in while Jesus is
in a boat with his apostles. The sea will become a place of instruction for
them. While in a boat they will hear Jesus teach. While in a boat they will
witness Jesus calming a stormy sea. While in a boat they will hear Jesus
chastise them for not understanding their need for spiritual bread. And
while in a boat they will see Jesus walking on water. It seems even these
seasoned fishermen have a lot to learn while with their Lord in a boat on
the sea.
Jonah learned a lot while he was at sea too. The first reading
picks up in the middle of this prophets story. This is the second time God
directed Jonah to go to Nineveh. This reluctant prophet tried to escape his
mission the first time. Instead of crossing overland to that great city on
the Tigris River, Jonah took a boat in the opposite direction. But God does
not allow Jonah to run away from his work. The people of Nineveh must have
their chance to hear the word of God. And so the famous great fish swallows
Jonah and brings him back to where he belongs. When God calls this second
time Jonah complies.
As the reading says, Nineveh was an enormously large city. It
was one of the royal cities of the Assyrian empire; its boundaries embraced
an area some twelve miles in circumference. Jonah had his work cut out for
him. It would take three days for him to reach all its citizens with the
word of God proclaimed in its squares and plazas. But one days preaching
was enough for this city! An amazing outcome given the fact that the
prophets of Israel spent decades preaching in Jerusalem with only minimal
response from the court or its people. By contrast, every last one of the
citizens of Nineveh displayed sincere repentance. They chose life, and God
gave them life.
It seems Jonah learned his lesson from his experiences on the
sea. He knew he could not escape his responsibility to preach Gods word to
a people who so needed to hear it. But of course Jonahs journey is not yet
over. The final chapter reveals that Jonah still has a lot of inner work to
do. We discover his reason for avoiding Nineveh as not fear but anger. He
did not think such people should receive Gods gracious mercy. He does not
yet see the world as God sees it.
Jonah could have learned a lesson or two from Paul. In the
second reading the great apostle to the Gentiles urges his brothers and
sisters in Corinth to stay focused on the eternal life that awaits them in
heaven. The present world has its limits. They must not allow the
experiences of this world to divert them from their heavenly goal. Those
fishers of men Peter, Andrew, and the sons of Zebedee certainly would have
agreed with that message! |