Daily Office Readings for Thursday of Proper 23: Year 2
Morning, Psalm 18; 1 to 20: Evening, Psalm 18: 21 to 50
Jonah 3:1to4:11; Acts 27:27to44; Luke 9:18to27
“Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s walk. And he cried out, ‘Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!’ And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth.” (Jonah 3:4 and 5)
Jonah did not like the people of Nineveh. He preferred all of them to be destroyed. But God loved them. God wanted to save them. I can see Jonah walking through Nineveh sarcastically uttering the words, ‘Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!’ He probably said the words in a low tone, hoping the people would not hear him. That way he could say to God he did the work, but knowing it was not his best effort.
However, the people did hear him and repented, much to Jonah’s disappointment. Jonah learned that God loved the people that he himself did not love. God loved the people who oppressed him and his people. God loves the people today of the other political party. God loves the people of the other race. We all need to realize that God’s love is not limited to us and our kind. God is “all” kinds and loves all kinds.
In the end, Jonah would rather die than have the people of Nineveh be saved. I truly hope we don’t sink to that level. More than that, we need to ask God to help us to see the other as God sees them. And when we have come to our true selves, do the Lord’s work as if we ourselves came up with the idea. There should be no hint that we are not pleased to do what God is asking us to do.
Please be cautioned however. People of your group, be it political party, race, gender, orientation, nationality, or any human segregation, your own people may turn against you. But you will always have God near you. Who else do you need? When you help the other, do not wish you were dead like Jonah. Whether we like it or not, God loves all people because God is love and God is good, all the time, and everywhere.
Today our Church remembers Ignatius of Antioch; Bishop and Martyr (17 October 107) and information about him may be found at: Ignatius of Antioch (satucket.com).
Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
Let us pray:
Most Holy and all loving God, please help all of us to better understand, believe and trust in your never-ending love for all humankind. In-so doing this, make us helpers of your plan of forgiveness and eternal life for all who turn to You; Amen.
onewhoponders 