No one really likes the word repent, that God told Jonah to proclaim to the city of Nivea in today’s first reading for mass. We may be more inclined to ask someone more gently, to look at their behavior and consider changing it, but the word repent isn’t really used in our modern culture anymore. Actually the word sin is also viewed by many secular people to be old fashioned and judgmental too. We live in a world of relativism for the most part. Often when we try to warn someone even in a respectful manner, that what they are doing is a grave sin, they simply view you as being old fashioned, behind the times and judgmental. How to broach the subject is a difficult task even within our own family and friends. How do you tell someone that what they are doing is wrong without alienating them and making them upset and mad at you? This is a problem in many families today.
We can’t just accept sin, whether it is in us, or those we love. It’s easier to do so though. The negativity that is caused by confronting someone about their behavior can even seem to be a sin by many good Christian people today, but actually there is no peace without justice. Christ even speaks of justice being served in the gospel today. “At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them.” Jesus also mentioned, “the men of Niveveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah, they repented.” Jesus even went so far to tell the whole crowed that “This generation is an evil generation.” That surely didn’t sit well with the crowd who was listening to him though.
Jesus told the crowd in today’s gospel that no sign would be given except the sign of Jonah. The Son of Man would be the same sign for that generation. He refers to Jonah, who was in the belly of the whale for three days thinking he was going to die, but God had the whale spit him out on the shore and give him his life back. Jesus was in the tomb three days, and then rose from the dead as well. The crowd listening to Jesus probably didn’t have any idea what he was referring to, but Saint Luke remembered what he said many years later and wrote it down.
Modern people consult psychics or spiritual mediums, looking for signs from people who have contact with the spirits in the supernatural world. Why do they trust what these people have to say? Do they know more than Christ or his Church? Fortune tellers, psychics, mediums, Ouija board games, tarot cards and such are actually a conduit for the evil spirits to enter into our lives. You can ask any real life Catholic exorcist about that.
Speaking of exorcism, sometimes it takes something pretty drastic for people to wake up and realize that sin is really sin, that there is such a thing as evil and that hell really does exist. They do not want to offend God then. Flocks of people returned to the church after viewing the movie, The Exorcist to have their confessions heard and be returned to a state of grace. Was it because they were sorry for their sins or just afraid of the devil though?
The people of Nineveh are to be greatly admired because it didn’t take very much prodding by Jonah in order for them to recognize the truth about themselves. Actually, sometimes that is the best way to get people to recognize their sins. Without blaming others, and speaking in general terms or addressing the whole group at the same time, people are a little more willing to listen. If it feels like a personal attack then they will shut down. Removing the word “You” from any conversations we have about another person’s bad behavior also helps prevent them from feeling like it is a personal attack. That’s what God had Jonah do in today’s first reading for mass. He never said the word “You”, but addressed the people at large, in more general terms. It isn’t as offensive and the people listened to him, because he didn’t point fingers at them or blame them personally.
Daily Mass Readings:
Jonah 3: 1-10 / Psalm 51: 3-4, 12-13, 18-19 / Luke 11: 29-32
