A first reading at Mass features the story of Jonah, God’s reluctant messenger to Nineveh. The gospel reading that follows is by contrast the obedient Jesus beginning his proclamation of the coming kingdom of God.
Have you read the whole story of ‘Jonah and the Whale’ as set out in four short chapters in the Old Testament? Jonah does not want to go as God’s messenger to the pagan city of Nineveh. Instead, he embarks on a Mediterranean cruise and ends up overboard. A sea monster swallows Jonah and spits him out on a coast, guess where – near Nineveh.
Jonah had convinced himself that God would be squandering his mercy on the people of “that” evil nation, a nation unfriendly to God’s own “good” people! It would be a waste of time, he opined. Anyway he would be placing himself in great danger. Reluctant Jonah finally preached God’s warning: “Only forty days more and Nineveh will be overthrown.” Jonah got a shock. All of Nineveh mended their ways!
Nevertheless, the story ends with Jonah in sad ill-humour. He says to God, I should have gone on my cruise. You were always going to let them off. You didn’t need me, and I don’t want to live anymore. “Hey Jonah,” God says, “are you right to be (so) angry?”
Hopefully, Jonah-type folks learn, albeit the hard way, that all people are not only important to God but worth calling to repentance.
Fast forward from Jonah to Jesus! It is on the edge of Lake Galilee, with Jesus proclaiming: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the good news.” People listen! Impressed! Already they see themselves, not as they were, but as they could be. Some of them are fisher people.
Imagine Jesus after the preaching strolling down lakeside, clearly happy to be on a mission. Here are fishing people, and boats and nets. And a voice has just spoken to him in his soul, see if they will help you.
What happens next is in the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 1, verses 14 – 20. The first four disciples are called to become fishers – of people!
