Jonah is a classic character who viewed everything from his own point of view. He resisted the prophetic call because it would make his life difficult. Then (after God gives his a push) he fulfills his mission but is angry when the message of doom is overshadowed by the greater message of mercy. God said to Jonah, “Have you reason to be angry over the plant?” “I have reason to be angry,” Jonah answered, “angry enough to die.” The task of a believer is to move beyond centering on ourselves and what we want and instead looking at things as God does. In the case of Jonah, he could not imagine the compassion and forgiveness of God. He demanded a reckoning. We must learn that God is larger than our conception of God. Pope Francis kept insisting that all are welcome, to bring everyone into the divine embrace. Yes, some people will have values which are not founded on the gospel but it is when we are together, it is when everyone knows that they belong, that the right atmosphere is created to listen together to the Holy Spirit instructing us in the ways of God.
