The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, "Get up, go to
Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you."
So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord"
... 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 proclaimed a fast... When God saw what they did, how they
turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he
had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it. But it was very
displeasing to Jonah and he became angry. Jn 3: 1-10 NRSV Catholic Edition
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When the Lord appointed a bush to give shade over Jonah's head when he sulked
upon God's decision, Jonah was happy with the bush. But when the bush withered
after God sent a worm and a sultry east wind, Jonah was angry with the bush. He
hoped to die. The Lord said, "You are concerned about the bush, for which you did not
labor and which you did not grow; it came into being in a night and perished in a night
And should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more
than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from
the left, and also many animals?" Jn 4: 6-11 NRSV Catholic Edition
* God is a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
How beautiful to see when people are concerned for each other! God's ways are not our ways...
Solidarity in the world is like oil that flows; it is soothing, healing and comforting! It refers to a relationship---
one does not live in an island. Thus, one must care for his brothers as much as he cares
for himself. Sometimes, one must sacrifice for the gain of another! Yes it is sublime,
but what is more sublime than following God's commandments?
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