Homily
for October 11, 2017.
“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 their left, and also
many animals?” Jonah 4:11.
It always
feels like injustice knowing that both the ninety nine who had no need for
repentance would have the same lot as the one who went astray. This is what
made Jonah angry.
By making a
tree grow overnight over Jonah and suddenly letting it wither by morning, God
was teaching Jonah a lesson – it is not every crime people commit that they
deserve punishment for it.
Jonah was not
happy that the tree which gave him shade at night would suddenly wither but
that is precisely what he wished for the people of Nineveh; that they should be
destroyed despite their efforts to repent.
Jonah failed
to realize that there are still some good potentials in this people; that like
the tree, they could still offer shade to people regardless of what they had
done in the past.
One of the
easiest way to forgive is to consider the fact that the person(s) I am angry
with still has some good potentials. I only need to overlook the bad side and
pay some attention to the good that person(s) is able to do. This is why Jesus
said on the cross: “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.” Luke
23:34.
More still,
in teaching us to pray in today’s Gospel passage, Jesus mentions the fact that
the way to obtain forgiveness from God is to forgive those who offend us.
Let us pray: Lord Jesus, teach me how
to forgive. Amen.
*Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith.
It is well with you. God bless you. (Wednesday of the 27th Week in Ordinary
Time. Bible Study: Jonah 4:1-11 and
Luke 11:1-4).*
Fr. Abu.
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