Jonah, di Man Wey Run Comot from God

January 24, 2021
Di Third Sunday for Ordinary Time, Year B
Readings for Today

Di word of di LORD come to Jonah, say: “Set out go di great city of Nineveh, and announce to am di message wey I go tell you.” So Jonah prepare and go Nineveh, as di LORD command am. Jonah 3:1–3

Jonah na one of di prophets for Old Testament wey people love well-well. Why? Maybe na because of di interesting story of how whale swallow am. This picture dey make person imagine plenty things, and e resemble story of wonder small. Na good story wey sweet to hear!

But wetin we fit easily forget na why di whale swallow Jonah. Na because e hear God call am for one particular mission for life, but e run go di other side as fast as e fit. E do everything wey e fit do to dodge wetin God call am to do. But God no give up. For di end, God win, and Jonah go Nineveh go preach. Di best part na say di people of Nineveh listen to am and change their life! For di end, Jonah preaching really bear plenty fruit.

Imagine wetin for happen if Jonah bin just listen to God from di very beginning. Di part of di story wey resemble story of wonder for fit no plenty like this, but e sure say Jonah and other people for escape plenty stress. E for no need endure di heavy storm for sea, di anger of di people wey dey work for di ship, di distress of how dem throw am from di boat enter water, and how e be to remain trapped inside di whale belle for those three days. E for avoid all this if e bin just listen to God from di very beginning.

Even with all this, e still dey interesting, and we fit learn plenty, if we look di story from another angle. Di truth na say Jonah endure all these difficulties. And even though we fit feel like judging am for that and pointing finger at am, make we careful. Why? Because e really possible say God actually allow am pass through these struggles for one reason, as part of wetin His divine will permit. E really possible, and e fit even likely, say na part of God wisdom that Jonah first resist His will. Why God go do this? Most likely na for our sake, because Jonah come become great example for us. E seem clear say one of di main lessons from Jonah life na say God no dey give up for His love for us, and E no dey tire to call us to embrace His will. So Jonah life and actions come carry prophetic message and teach us one great lesson.

God no dey give up on us. E no dey just throw us away di moment we turn away from Am. Instead, when we deny Am, E dey even more determined to continue to seek us. E dey take di broken parts of our life, our lack of determination, our failures and weaknesses, and use dem for His glory and His perfect plan.

Today, think well about whether you don lose courage for life and feel say you don fail to follow God will for your life. If na so, then Jonah message clear. No give up. No lose hope. God never give up on His plan for you, and E never lose hope. For di end, you fit discover say God grace go completely turn around those parts of your life wey seem like di heaviest load and di biggest obstacle for you, and na through those same things His glory go show!

Lord, You no dey ever give up on me. You no dey ever lose hope. Give me di grace to change, to listen and to respond. Use my weakness and di broken parts of my life, and let Your strength and grace shine through dem. Jesus, na You I trust.

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Options for Mass Readings

Di main picture above: Jonah and di Whale, wey Carlo Antonio Tavella paint

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