The readings this Sunday set up a pretty stunning contrast between two prophets — Jonah and Jesus. Jonah is a recalcitrant, would-be prophet who, upon hearing God’s call, hightails it on outta there. After some not-so-gentle persuasion by God, he finally does what he’s called to do. Jesus, on the other hand, has a difficult personal experience but allows it to launch him into ministry. So, Jonah = annoying but surprisingly effective prophet who gets people to repent out of fear. Jesus = genuine, energetic prophet who gets people to repent by showing them the Kingdom of God.

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 others on board toss him into the sea. Like Pinocchio, he’s swallowed by a big fish, and, out of desperation, 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 kind of sails right through this, but let’s pause with it. John’s arrest would have been significant to Jesus. John and Jesus are connected through all the Gospels, and some scholars think that Jesus was even a disciple of John’s. So, Jesus would have been greatly affected by what happened to John. You don’t have to be the Son of God to know that John’s arrest would not end well for him. And yet, even so, from this traumatic event, Jesus propels himself into mission.

Who knows? Maybe Jesus would’ve kicked things off 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 distress could have deepened his compassion for people in pain. It could have shown him that nothing is certain, and so he must seize this moment and get his message out there. 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 impels 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; he’s a driven prophet, determined to move the Kingdom of God forward and bring people with him.

What do you make of all this? What occurs to me is that, when faced with difficulty, it’s easy to want to run and hide. However, sometimes difficulty can spur people on with a sense of urgency and make God’s call really clear.

When you think about each of these prophets and their responses, with which do you identify? Personally, I probably have a little Jonah and a little Jesus in me. I sometimes want to hide out a bit — there’s just so many bad things happening in the world that it can feel overwhelming. Staying in my house under a blanket might not be the same as living in a fish belly, but it feels safe and comfortable, like hibernating. However, that can’t last forever. There’s work to be done. I don’t have quite the energy that Jesus had, but I try to respond to the needs of people in ministry, in my neighborhood, in my community. My guess is that you do too. We deal with our lives and also respond as best as we can to the people in front of us, our families, people in need. 

As it turns out, when it comes to calling people. God didn’t stop with Jonah or Jesus. God is calling us too. The Kingdom of God is at hand now, in this moment. All around us there are people with illnesses and struggles, people who are burdened by despair and anxiety. My friends, we have work to do. We can wait till the fish spits us out or we can jump at the opportunity, but there’s still good news to be proclaimed. And we must proclaim it by our words and actions. Given all of this, will you be Jonah or Jesus?

For reflection:

• As you reflect on these readings, do you recognize a call, and invitation, a mission? What is it?

• Jesus called disciples to be with him in mission. Who is with you in yours? And how is God with you?

• When you recognize a call from God, how do you respond? What makes you want to run from it? What helps you to move toward it, to follow God’s invitation for you?

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 Board of Spiritual Directors International. She enjoys music, dancing, and meaningful conversations.