As is common in Lent and Advent the first reading is chosen from the Old Testament to illuminate the Gospel passage.
Today Jonah is the link. The story of Jonah connects with Christianity in two ways. He is seen first as a symbol of Christ dying and rising through his being swallowed by a whale for three days and then reappearing. He is like Christ secondly as one who preaches and causes people to repent. He gets a response.
Jonah, when you read the book – it can be read in 5 minutes – is seen to be a reluctant evangelist. God tells him to go to Nineveh but he goes the other way at first. God has to put him right.
Aren’t we all reluctant evangelists? Who wants to be the messenger of an uncomfortable message? Who likes putting people right when they’re in the wrong?
Actually only God can really and effectively put people right. If we speak for God with discernment, at the time and in the place he clearly suggests to us, then things happen. They happened in Nineveh and they can happen in Haywards Heath.
The clue is our getting attuned to God’s leading. If we’re living hour by hour with God it should work out. Coming to share in the Eucharist effects a deep work of tuning. Something happens to shape us up when we hearing the word and share the body of Christ.
When I take my guitar out I’ve usually got to tune it before it will make a melodious noise. So it is with you and I as we attempt to play out our lives for God. Like Jonah we need treatment so to speak, attuning – and that can mean getting stretched a little.
What’s at issue in today’s Gospel is our role in the spread of the faith. The world needs Jonahs, evangelists who can swallow their reluctance to speak out for Jesus.
Some see the tide turning for the church. We’ve been salt more than light for long enough. Especially in the Church of England our people have been proud to be salt savouring the life of the nation but hesitant to stand against it as light that lightens darkness.
We’ve made Christianity less than what it is. Now is the time to change gear and to be bold and to let our light shine. In this increasingly secular nation people are only going to hear of a purpose for living and a reason for dying if we gain boldness to open our mouths and declare however hesitantly the mystery of Christ.
Pray for me St Paul says to the Ephesians that utterance may be given me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel. We might pray the same!
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