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● ● Homily, 3rd Sunday (year B) ●● 2024 January 21 ●● Jonah 3:1-5, 10 ___ ● ● Psalm 25 ● ● ● ● 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 ● ● Mark 1:14-20 ● ●
[__01__] In our 1st reading, we read about Jonah the prophet. Jonah is a popular boy's name these days:
J-O-N-A-H. Jonah is famous in the Bible.
And
Jonah is sent to as a messenger in a way that we are sent as messengers of
God's mercy. The disciples are sent as messengers in the Gospel. Jonah had to decide: would he deliver the
message of mercy or not? Is Jonah going to deliver the message for or against
the people of Nineveh, the people whom he regards as an enemy? Jonah has every
reason not to like Nineveh.
Nineveh is
a neighboring city and nation, and it's an empire and borders Israel and they
are enemies. Nineveh will ultimately conquer Israel and carry Jonah's people
into exile.
God knows
this. But there are other instances in the Bible where God gives 1 more chance,
1 more merciful chance to somebody before judgement. This is such an example of
that, that God gives 1 more chance to Nineveh and Jonah’s message of repentance
is their chance, if only Jonah will only carry out the mission.
God
believed in the people of Nineveh Jonah does not believe in the people of
Nineveh. God represents mercy Jonah represents vengeance.
[__02__] And,
the history of Jonah is familiar to many of us:
Jonah is
sent to this neighboring city of Nineveh and nearby city but also a political
enemy.
Jonah
refuses to believe that the people of Nineveh deserve salvation. So, though Jonah
had a “boarding pass and bus ticket” to Nineveh, Jonah does not get on the bus and
go overland to Nineveh. Rather, Jonah goes down to the port, down to the dock,
hops on a boat out to sea to get away from Nineveh as far as possible.
Out at sea
there's a “winter storm warning”. There is “weather”. The sailors on board this boat recognize
that Jonah is the problem. The reason for the storm the reason for their curse,
they throw Jonah overboard,
Jonah is then
swallowed by the whale. He spent 3 days and nights in the belly of the whale,
very much a prefiguring of what happens to Jesus. Jonah is resuscitated from
the whale and he ends up on land again thanks to God.
Jonah is
given a 2nd chance to go to Nineveh. And you and I are given 2nd
chances as well. Throughout the book, we see that Jonah is rescheduled, he's
delayed, he’s fearful.
The irony
of the book of Jonah is that Jonah is not very compliant with God. He's maybe
39% or 40% compliant with what God wants him to do. But everybody whom Jonah
meets is obedient to God 100% including the sailors on board the ship when they
throw Jonah overboard they turn back to God themselves.
In short, Jonah
does not love his enemies.
[__03__] How are you and I to regard our “enemies”?
How are
you and I to regard those we regard as enemies or adversaries. The word “enemy”
is such a strong word! We do not like to use that word with somebody in our own
family or close “circle”.
But
sometimes there are adversarial relationships we have with others, difficult
relationships we have to work through.
How are we
to how are we to regard such difficulties or difficult people ? It certainly
seems logical or safe to go for “an eye for an eye” or a “tooth for a tooth”.
Jesus says NO to this. Do not seek an an eye a tooth for a tooth. Rather, love
your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
[__04__] What is love? What is your idea or reaction
when it comes to the “LOVE” or “LOVING”?
Love,
for example, is about gift giving.
Love is about kind words.
Love is about a good feeling
inside that somebody nobody else can see.
All of these things culminate on February
14, Valentines. Day. It’s Ash Wednesday. Save the Date !
[__05__] And
the words we hear – along with receiving ASHES – are the words from the GOSPEL
today, from our Lord: repent and
believe in the gospel.
Jesus
invites us to love in a calling that is beyond superficial feelings or
emotions. Jesus invites us to certain actions to carry out this love.
Yes, such
love involves:
[__05.01__] 1st.
Gift Giving. And
while love this might not be a gift, wrapped chocolate or other gift you're
having difficulty with,
The gift might simply be that we do good to
someone who has done bad to us. We do something good for someone who has done
something bad. It's that simple.
I
have done things bad or selfish, and others have done good to me in return, and
I am grateful. This helps me on the way to salvation.
[__05.02__] 2nd.
Kind Words. Do such
“kind words” mean you or I will a Hallmark
greeting card or a Christmas card to everybody who's done us wrong? That would
be a thought, but it’s not where I am going !
I am
simply saying that if someone has said something bad of you, or failed to say
something good, can you say something good in response of the other person?
This is
this is how what St. Paul says, If you were to be insulted, do not return insult
for insult but return a blessing instead. (cf., Romans 12:14-17, also 1 Peter
3:9)
[__05.03__] 3rd.
Good Invisible Feelings. How
do we something for our hearts “inside” when we are troubled. Pray. Silence.
Listen to God.
And while
we might be endangered by certain people who we regard as enemies are difficult
in our lives, who have harmed us it might not be safe for us to be around
everybody who has hurt us.
Perhaps, all
we can do is to pray, to pray for someone who has caused us difficulty to pray
that God will do good to the other person.
That God
will give the other person what he or she needs. In this regard, we can become
our brothers and sisters keepers. We can do more than Cain was able to do in
the book of Genesis. Cain’s objection: Am I my brother's keeper? Why are you
asking me about Abel? Well, we are our brothers and sisters keepers. In some
way, we are called to help others on the way to salvation. (Genesis 4:1-9)
[__06__] The message to Jonah the prophet ultimately
that God takes care of our enemies. It's not our job to carry out vengeance or
revenge.
Love of
enemies doesn't simply mean we are not doing anything, love of enemies. It's
not about inactivity. It is not about reactivity, is it about it is about
simply about activity.
Do good.
Return a
blessing
Pray for
those who persecute you.
At this
time of year we also extend our prayers to those in the pro-life movement and those
who were part of the March for Life in Washington DC this past Friday, to pray
for for those who may be enemies on two sides of an important issue, to pray
for unborn children to pray for those who are not properly cared for.
To pray
and remember that there is mercy in the sacrament of penance and reconciliation
– for every woman or man who has been involved in an abortion. God desires
every sinner to live and know His mercy. There are confidential resources
available through the Archdiocese. For those who might want to speak
confidentially to someone outside Lourdes parish, you can call or email: Cheryl.Riley@rcan.org Phone 973.497.4350.
I am also available. The Rachel’s Vineyard retreat program has helped many men and women. We pray also that there will be proper health insurance both for mothers children. We pray for the dying, for the sick so that we can protect life at all stages from conception to natural death and to remember that we need not be enemies but through the gospel. We can grow in friendship and care for each other. [__END__]
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