Are You Jonah or Jesus?

The readings this Sunday set up a pretty stunning contrast between Jonah and Jesus. Jonah is a recalcitrant, would-be prophet who, upon hearing God’s call, hightails it on outta there. Jesus, upon hearing bad news, responds by starting his ministry. Jonah = annoying but surprisingly effective prophet who gets people to repent out of fear. Jesus = genuine, energetic prophet who gets people to repent by revealing the Kingdom of God to them.

The excerpt from the First Reading doesn’t give us the full story of Jonah, but you know it, right? God calls Jonah to prophesy to the people of Ninevah, and Jonah avoids this call by running away and hiding on a ship. Because of his disobedience, a big storm comes. Jonah takes a tiny bit of personal responsibility for the mayhem, and the other people on board toss him into the sea. Like Pinocchio, he’s swallowed by a big fish, and, out of dire need, ultimately prays to God. God hears Jonah’s prayer, the fish spits him out, and when God calls again, Jonah finally obeys. He goes on his mission, and people readily respond to his call to change. Almost too easy. What was the big fuss about anyway, Jonah?

Then we meet Jesus, newly baptized and returned from forty days of temptation in the desert. We’re told, “After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God.” Mark packs a lot into this tiny little statement. John’s arrest would have been significant to Jesus. John and Jesus are connected all through the Gospels, and some scholars think that Jesus was even a disciple of John’s. So, Jesus would have been greatly affected by the news of John’s arrest. You don’t have to be the Son of God to know where that will go; anyone could read the signs of the times and know John’s arrest will not end well for him. And yet, from this traumatic event, Jesus propels himself into his mission. Who knows? Maybe he would’ve kicked off his ministry at this point no matter what. Or, it could be that this devastating event spurs him into action and pulls him in a direction. His own raw emotions could have moved him to care for people who are also in pain. In any case, he responds to personal difficulty by proclaiming good news to people.

Like John, Jesus preached repentance, but Jesus adds his own flavor to the message: “‘This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.’” His message has some urgency to it. He’s moved to act, and he wants to impel others to work with him. After he calls people to join him in mission, he begins to show everyone what the kingdom of God looks like as serves them. He expels demons, cleanses people with leprosy, heals, and preaches. He’s not a reluctant prophet; his ministry is emerging, and he seems pretty driven.

What do you make of all this? What I relate to is that, when faced with difficulty, it’s easy to run away. I also resonate with Jesus’s response. Although he probably allows the bad news about John to affect him, he also responds by helping people.

During the past year, I’ve had a little Jonah and a little Jesus in me. I’ve sometimes responded by running and hiding – strong emotions can drive me to withdraw. Also, being stuck at home during a pandemic is not unlike living in a fish belly. It’s safer than being outside, but it’s very stinky. Maybe that was your experience too. There were also times, though, when I noticed that there was work to do. Maybe I didn’t have quite the energy that Jesus had, but I tried to respond to the needs of people in ministry, in my neighborhood, in my community. My guess is that you did that too. You dealt with your life but also responded as best as you could to the people in front of you, your family, people in need.  

Jesus’s call is for us, too. The Kingdom of God is at hand now, at the beginning of new leadership in the U.S., the dawning of 2021, this Ordinary Time between Christmas and Lent. All around us there are people with illness and people who are possessed with despair and anxiety. My friends, we have work to do. There is good news to be proclaimed.

So, just take a moment to be here, now. Do you feel like running away like Jonah or running toward mission like Jesus? It’s okay to feel a little bit of both.

When you think about moving forward into 2021, do you recognize a mission? What is it?

Jesus called disciples to be with him in mission. Who is with you in yours?

By Sister Leslie Keener, CDP

Leslie is the director of God Space, a community-building spirituality ministry in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. She’s a Sister of Divine Providence with a Masters in Ministry and a Certificate in Spiritual Direction and Retreats from Creighton University. She directs retreats, meets with people for spiritual direction, and serves as the vocation director for her community. She also serves on the Coordinating Council of Spiritual Directors International. She enjoys music, dancing, and meaningful conversations.