Reading 1
Jon 4:1-11
Jonah was greatly displeased
and became angry that God did not carry out the evil
he threatened against Nineveh.
He prayed, "I beseech you, LORD,
is not this what I said while I was still in my own country?
This is why I fled at first to Tarshish.
I knew that you are a gracious and merciful God,
slow to anger, rich in clemency, loathe to punish.
And now, LORD, please take my life from me;
for it is better for me to die than to live."
But the LORD asked, "Have you reason to be angry?"
Jonah then left the city for a place to the east of it,
where he built himself a hut and waited under it in the shade,
to see what would happen to the city.
And when the LORD God provided a gourd plant
that grew up over Jonah's head,
giving shade that relieved him of any discomfort,
Jonah was very happy over the plant.
But the next morning at dawn
God sent a worm that attacked the plant,
so that it withered.
And when the sun arose, God sent a burning east wind;
and the sun beat upon Jonah's head till he became faint.
Then Jonah asked for death, saying,
"I would be better off dead than alive."
But God said to Jonah,
"Have you reason to be angry over the plant?"
"I have reason to be angry," Jonah answered, 'angry enough to die."
Then the LORD said,
"You are concerned over the plant which cost you no labor
and which you did not raise;
it came up in one night and in one night it perished.
And should I not be concerned over Nineveh, the great city,
in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons
who cannot distinguish their right hand from their left,
not to mention the many cattle?"
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 86:3-4, 5-6, 9-10
R. (15) 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.
R. Lord, you are merciful and gracious.
Gospel
Lk 11:1-4
Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished,
one of his disciples said to him,
"Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples."
He said to them, "When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name,
your Kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread
and forgive us our sins
for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us,
and do not subject us to the final test."
Meditation: Jonah 4:1-11
At dawn God sent a worm which attacked the plant, so that it withered.” (Jonah 4:7)
Today’s first reading shows us a petulant Jonah complaining because God has decided not to punish his enemies. After running away from God rather than deliver a message to the hated Ninevites, Jonah changes his mind and goes to Nineveh. He’s happy to proclaim the imminent destruction of the wicked city. But to his dismay, these pagans actually believe him and repent. So sincere is their repentance that God does not destroy them but forgives them instead. Jonah loses his focus and gets disgusted. How can God possibly love these wretches?
In a telling parable, a shade plant grows up rapidly to give Jonah shelter, but he fails to recognize this as a sign of God’s love for him. What’s more, he certainly doesn’t expand his vision to understand that God also loves the people of Nineveh. So God makes sure that Jonah’s relief from the heat is short-lived. A worm soon attacks the plant and destroys it.
Sometimes we too find it difficult to agree with God’s mercy toward those we regard as enemies, either because of their wicked behavior or simply because they fall outside our comfortable circle. If we are honest with ourselves, we may be able to identify the “worms” that gnaw at us and separate us from God’s merciful outlook. Like Jonah, those worms may include narrow-minded attitudes, unforgiveness, or a punitive spirit. Or we may be subject to other feelings like resentment, bitterness, a critical spirit, or a guilty conscience. And let’s not forget how frustration and confusion can disturb our spirits and make it hard for us to hear God’s voice.
Spend a little time examining your conscience for “worms” like these. When you identify one, don’t linger there. Instead, surrender it immediately to the Lord. Ask him to brush it away and restore your focus on him.
As you examine your heart, be sure not to get down on yourself. God loves you just as you are. Immerse yourself in his great mercy. Receive his forgiveness, just as the Ninevites did. And extend that mercy to others, just as Jonah eventually learned to do.
“Father, you love me and all the people you have put on this earth. Plunge me into your love, and help me to share that love with everyone around me.”
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