A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings
In this passage, Jonah prophesied that God is going to destroy Nineveh because the city was evil and involved in violent behavior. Jonah called for Nineveh to repent but he never thought they would actually do so. To Jonah’s surprise, the people of Nineveh and even the king of Nineveh repented. They came to believe in God and they even proclaim a fast. There was a turning away from evil ways and from violence. When God saw the repentant nature of the people, he turned from his fierce anger and did not utterly destroy Nineveh. This made Jonah very angry, and he used this opportunity to justify his prior disobedience of God’s instruction for him to go to Nineveh. Jonah felt God was too fickle to follow through with harsh consequences for Nineveh’s sinful past, and Jonah was essentially telling God - ‘I told you so.’ Jonah felt embarrassed because God did not carry out punishment on Nineveh, and Jonah felt duped by God so much that he literally asked God to kill him. “O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live." At this point, God had enough, and asked Jonah why he was so angry. Jonah, unsure what to say, went outside the city, sat in isolation, and wallowed in his self pity. The Bible tells us that, in an attempt to save Jonah from his feelings of depression, God appointed a bush, and made it come up over Jonah, to give shade over his head. This made Jonah very happy. Unfortunately, when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the bush, so that it withered. As if that was not enough, when the sun rose, God sent a hot and humid wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint and asked that he might die. Again, Jonah said, "It is better for me to die than to live." But God said to Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry about the bush?" And he said, "Yes, angry enough to die." Then the Lord said, "You are concerned about the bush, for which you did not labor and which you did not grow; it came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also many animals?"
What warning has God given us? What warning have we issued to others?
Do you believe that people can have a change of heart and end their evil ways or are we of the opinion that people are essentially evil at the core? Explain.
Who have we written off as a lost cause or as a problem maker?
It is often said that ‘anger is a secondary emotion’? What might this mean in the case of Jonah’s anger? What do you think was at the root of Jonah’s anger?
Is God fickle? Explain why you feel this way.
What acts of disobedience in our life have we attempted to justify to God and others?
Why do you think Jonah asked God to kill him?
What is depression? What is suicidal ideation? Have you ever felt depressed or suicidal? If so, what triggered those feelings? If not, do you know anyone that experienced those feelings?
Why did God appoint a bush? What does the bush symbolize in our life?
Why did God appoint a worm? What does the worm symbolize in our life?
What are we concerned about the most in life?
The sailors had spent two entire weeks in the misery and terror of the storm before they approached land. Fearing that they might run into rocks, the sailors let down anchors. However, Paul told them that if they wanted to remain safe that they needed to stay on the ship and set adrift again. The sailors listened to Paul and set off. At that point, Paul encouraged them to remain nourished and to eat. Paul also told them that none of them would lose a hair from their heads. After he had said this, Paul took bread; and giving thanks to God in the presence of all, he broke it and began to eat. Then all of them were encouraged and took food for themselves. After they had satisfied their hunger, they lightened the ship by throwing the wheat into the sea. In the morning they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach, on which they planned to run the ship ashore, if they could. So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea. At the same time they loosened the ropes that tied the steering-oars; then hoisting the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach. But striking a reef, they ran the ship aground; the bow stuck and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the force of the waves. The soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoners, so that none might swim away and escape; but the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for the land, and the rest to follow, some on planks and others on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land.
Do you feel like the sailors genuinely cared for the prisoners? Why or why not? In what ways do we care or fail to care for others?
Why do you think Paul encouraged the sailors to stay on the ship and stay nourished? What might this teach us about how to handle the storms of life?
What made Paul promise the sailors that none of them would lose a hair from their heads? How might this give us hope beyond our human capabilities?
Does the experience of Paul taking bread, giving thanks, breaking it, and giving it to the sailors allude to anything? Explain.
What truly satisfies us and lightens our burdens in life?
The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners but the centurion kept them safe. There are situations in life that we may have felt like giving up on but someone helped us see a light at the end of the tunnel. Who is the centurion in your life that keeps you from totally giving up and in fact instills hope in you?
There is a thin line between life and death. What influences you to be on one side or the other?
Who does mainstream society think Jesus is? Who do you think Jesus is? In this passage, we see Jesus praying alone with only the disciples near him. Jesus asks the disciples, "Who do the crowds say that I am?" The disciples answer Jesus but then Jesus asks them, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter answers, "The Messiah of God." Upon hearing Peter’s response, Jesus asks the disciples to not tell anyone. Jesus then proceeds to inform the disciples that he would undergo great suffering, be rejected by religious leaders, killed, and on the third day be raised. Then he says to them all, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words, of them the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. But truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God."
Does our view of Jesus align with that of mainstream society or is it different?
Describe in a few words who Jesus is to you.
Why did Jesus instruct the disciples to not tell anyone that he was the ‘Messiah’?
Considering Jesus' fate, what fate should Christian leaders expect to face?
What does Jesus say we need to do if we choose to follow him?
What are we most ashamed of? How might our sense of shame influence the choices we make?
To God be the glory now and forever. Amen.
Fr. Thomas+
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