You would think that this is the First Sunday of Lent, rather than the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time, with the heavy emphasis in our readings today about "repenting, and believing in the Gospel" because "this is the time of fulfillment, the Kingdom of God is at hand!"
But it is not Lent, and we have begun the "counting" or "ordinary" Sundays that will eventually culminate in November with the Solemnity of Jesus Christ as King of the Universe.
Maybe there is another reason why the Church gives us these readings now: maybe we need to hear them now: we need to hear the message that "it is always the time to turn away from what is not of God and his Kingdom; it is always time to turn to the Good News that he has proclaimed most eloquently by sending us Jesus: our Lord, our God, our Brother and our Friend; it is always the time to be a disciple and follower of Jesus; it is always the time to be taught by Jesus (in imitation of Simon Peter who became (III) Jesus' first serious student/disciple/apostle."
Most human beings are a stubborn bunch! Once they get something in their minds, it is very difficult to get it back out again! One of the things that a lot of people get into their minds, that they can't seem to get out again, is the fact that "evil is glamorous ("this thing or activity just doesn't 'look or seem evil' at all" – actually, it "looks and seems pretty good")," "the ways of the world 'are not so bad' after all," "everyone else is saying and doing things (that even I realize are a bit) outlandish, but, hey, if they can do it, why can't I?"
The obvious Catholic Christian response is: the words and ways of the world
are not the words and ways of God! They will not bring peace. They will not bring joy! They will not end in everlasting life in the bliss of heaven! But, he is very deceptive, the "prince of the world": he makes his ware /his evil so appealing and attractive that it is very hard to resist – because he makes everything "feel so seductively good and right!" "Feeling good is one thing," but experiencing the richness and depth of True Reality as it is meant to be experienced by the design of God who created it and which can produce immense joy - is quite something else! This is what God offers – the Real Joyful Deal! But with the Real Deal comes a decision – because free-will is involved. God wants us to freely choose him and the Deal!
Such was the case with the Ninevites many centuries ago. They were "God's people," but they were "steeped in the words and ways of the world!" They used their free-will in inappropriate ways. But he wanted to save them from themselves, from their own spiritual blindsightedness: he wanted to give them deep and lasting joy and so he sent young Jonah to them to warn them to change their evil ways. And thanks to the very courageous preaching of Jonah the Ninevites did choose to turn from their evil thoughts, words and deeds and God did spare them and repented of the punishment that he had threatened – out of divine justice – to do to them: he did not carry it out!
Jonah, then, as a very brave young person "stood in the breach" (a "go-between") for the people of Nineveh, as a sign of Jesus who would "stand in the breach" for all of mankind (including you and me) so that God would hold back his just retribution / punishment on us!
For those who, on the other hand try their best to follow the words and ways of Jesus as they are proclaimed to them
– proclaimed here in Church, in the readings and the homily – in our Catholic Schools – by listening in our prayer at home, as he speaks to us through one another – divine retribution – divine punishment does not even enter into the picture! This is the GOOD NEWS that Jesus brought, in the person of Himself: if you keep your eyes fixed on me, if you listen to what I have to say, if you believe it, if you put it into practice the best you can, if you find that it leads you to help other people then you will be filled with real joy and have nothing to fear on any day of your life, but most especially the last one!
Now, staying close to Jesus, following him and imitating him will also, at times, call on you to stand up for the Truth, just as he did, just as Jonah did before him! It may make you unpopular at times – but your work – with the help of the Holy Spirit will be as effective as Jonah's and Jesus' – you will "stand in the breach" for others – in ways small or even great: and you will be used by God to gather to him a Family of Friends that is purified and ready for an eternal wedding banquet unlike anything any one of us could ever imagine! Yes, this is our goal: Jesus, the Lamb of God – who "stood in the breach" for us – who took away our sins – will one day "marry his Bride" – the Church – "marry us" – in heaven – and we will "live happily ever after!"
But first there is work to be done here on earth!
May our belief in the GOOD NEWS and our cooperation with the Holy Spirit in living out our baptismal calling to be prophets for the Lord, young or old, be efficacious and fruitful for all eternity! God bless you!
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