You have to really appreciate Jonah. If there is proof God can work through imperfect vessels, the story of Jonah has to be it. Cranky, reluctant, ill-tempered and clearly more than a little opinionated though he was, he still got the job done.

In today’s reading we read how Jonah’s mission of prophecy surprisingly, even shockingly, succeeded. The people of Nineveh actually listened to his message and they all repented. Immediately. Where else in scripture can we find the example of a prophet being heard? Nowhere. The usual cycle is God sends a prophet to proclaim what might happen if the people did not change the direction of their lives. Next we have the people continuing to do evil in the eyes of the Lord and this is followed by the death and destruction of the people and the city ignoring the message.

Even the king of Nineveh got the message and donned sackcloth and wallowed in ash. Who would have ever thought that might happen? Not Jonah. He did not want them to repent because he wanted to witness Armageddon rain down on the city.

Even though the story told is deadly serious, we can easily play it for laughs however we do so at the risk of missing the lessons we might learn for ourselves.

How easy is to not want to follow the call of the Lord? Oh so easy. Sometimes we just refuse his requests of us? Let’s see how this might happen.

God to me, “Here is my plan for you that will allow you to do my will and find joy and purpose in life.”

Me to God, “Sure thing, Lord but I need to do this, this, this and this first. These are all things I would really like to do.”

God to me, “So do it your way but if you go fishing, you might keep your eyes open.”

Me to God, “Sure thing. Hold my beer and watch this.”

Sometime later. Me to God, “Ok, God. I am listening. Will I be able to get my life back if I listen to you?” Later on still, “You want me to do what? Really? REALLY?? Are you sure? Ok, then, have it your way.”

And then, me to God, “What do you mean it worked? I was really in a snarky mood because of all this and I wanted someone to pay the price.”

So what is missing here? The answer is we are completely missing out on the joy of finding the purpose of life in His service. We learned this from St. John Vianney, the patron saint of priests, “A need in the world is met by deep joy in me.”

As for me, the real me, I will tell you that I was reluctant like Jonah. I had my own agenda, my own plans and I could not understand why trying to live out the life I sought brought me little joy beyond fleeting, momentary times of happiness. It was not until I was finally laid low by ego and reluctance to let go of self-created ideals that I finally began to find purpose. I choose not to be like Jonah. I wish to know the joy that comes from succeeding in what has been set before me by God as a challenge.

Lord, thank you for allowing us to laugh at Jonah that we might more clearly find the path you would have us follow.