Have you ever reveled in someone else getting in trouble? Have you felt the anticipation — maybe as a child, maybe as an adult — of going to an authority figure and saying something like, “Billy keeps hoarding all the crayons” or “Li really messed up the report on the Duckworth project”? Have you stifled a smile as you envisioned what would happen to this transgressor, perhaps even basking in the knowledge that your own misdeeds would be overlooked in the interim?
Today’s readings deal heavily with the story of Jonah, who was similar in his tendency to revel in the misdeeds of others. If you haven’t read that book of the Bible, I encourage you to do so. It’s short — less than three pages in my 1,400-page edition of the New American Bible — and it’s very accessible; in fact, if you’ve scanned or listened to the first reading of today, you’ve already fully read one of the four chapters! Plus its ending — or lack thereof — has a strong possibility of sticking with you.
In today’s selection from the Gospel of Luke, Jesus says, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.”
Interestingly, Jesus refers to the sign of Jonah in the Gospel of Matthew as well, only with a different parallel: “An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.” (Matthew 12:39-40) This is clearly a useful metaphor!
So, in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus notes that the people he was addressing were all looking for a sign. What other sign might the people of “this generation” be looking for? Well, I’m sure we can all think of possibilities: thunderbolts and lightning, the smiting of their enemies, the immediate restoration of the great kingdom on Earth. All these are certainly within the realm of possibility for God, all-powerful. But Jesus warns that we’re not getting that.
In other words, just as Jonah walked through Nineveh with a simple message — “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed” — and the people of Nineveh immediately repented of their wicked ways, so, too, does Jesus expect us to turn back to God simply by hearing his irrefutable words.
It’s helpful here to reflect on Jonah’s state of mind in chapter 4 of the Book of Jonah. After he saw first-hand the miraculous conversion of the people of Nineveh, and witnessed the gracious mercy of the Lord, how did he react? He was angry! He wanted to see the people of Nineveh struck by the fullness of God’s wrath. He wanted his bloodthirsty nationalism slaked. Jonah was looking forward to it, like those who revel in others getting in trouble. Even when God talked to Jonah directly — asking him, “Have you reason to be angry?” — Jonah still clung to his ire, which turned to self-pity.
This year’s Lenten season is still young. If you haven’t already done so, now might be a good time to ask yourself, “Why am I observing Lent?” There are many possible answers here, some of which include:
“Because I’ve done so in the past.” — This isn’t a terrible answer! While not a full and perfect response, the habits of tradition can provide fertile soil for the Spirit to work, now and in the future. And even as a child who covers his mouth when he coughs may not know why it’s good to do so, it’s still the right thing to do, and lays the groundwork for future enlightenment.
“Because I want God to reward me.” — It’s certainly possible God might do so — he is all-powerful and all-knowing, after all — but Christ’s warning in today’s Gospel selection can be just as true today. We shouldn’t expect any further signs in this life; the true words said by Christ should be enough, as they were enough for the people of Nineveh ages ago. (Of course, if you’re envisioning eternal life and the promise of heaven as the reward, then great! It’s not wrong to long for Christ’s promise of salvation.)
“Because it helps me feel superior to other people.” — This is an answer to be wary of. Jonah thought he was better than the Ninevites, but they were quicker to recognize the tremendous gift that God was offering them. Christ’s own words tell us, if we truly feel close to Him, that should compel us to follow His words: feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, forgiving offenses, instructing the ignorant, and so on.
“Because it helps me get closer to God.” Great! Just try to recognize how you’ve gotten closer to God; otherwise, like Jonah, you may open a rift between what you think is closeness to God versus how He really wants you to act.
“Because it helps me realize how far I might still be from God.” This answer pairs well with the previous one. One reason I cook is because I’m pretty good at it. But I also cook because it helps me realize where I’m still not as good as I’d like to be; hopefully, by practicing, I’ll continue to improve. Perhaps the Lenten journey is similar for you; even if you think you’re in good shape with your relationship with God, observing Lent may help you understand where you fall short or could improve.
And there are, no doubt, other possible answers . . . which vary on how good or less-than-perfect they are.
I encourage you to reflect on this “why.” Because Jesus makes clear what we should expect regarding signs; His Word is as clear as Jonah’s factual proclamations — even more so. And we shouldn’t be waiting for anything more concrete to spur us to action; Jesus makes clear how he expects us to respond to that word.
Today’s Readings: Jon 3:1-10; Ps 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19; Jl 2:12-13; Lk 11:29-32
