“Set out for the great city... and preach...” – Jonah 1:2

       I recall my first try to work overseas as I reflect on Jonah’s first mission.

       I was hired as an IT manager of a leading retail company in Papua New Guinea. But in my heart there was a deeper mission: to spread the Good News.

       My mission was a daunting task as I had no idea where to start. The city where I worked in was big. So I prayed. But for one whole year, I wasn’t able to preach. I continued to pray. After a year, doors opened wide. Opportunities to speak before various parish groups came. I became a regular preacher at the Diocesan Center for Renewal in the Archdiocese of Port Moresby. Eventually, I was chosen to head the evangelization ministry in the archdiocese.

       Looking back, my first year was a time to acquaint myself with the local culture and traditions. I made friends with the locals and just allowed myself to be used as a channel of God’s love.

       Romans 10:15 says, “How can people preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!’” Danny Tariman (dtariman.loj@gmail.com)

Reflection: What is your mission? Is it difficult? Just pray and continue to pursue!

Lord, please strengthen me when I start to weaken, and encourage me when despair sets in. Amen.

St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, pray for us.

Jonah’s story is a great one — a big fish swallowed him and then spewed him on a beach a few days later. Jonah knew he should do what God was telling him to do, but he disobeyed because he thought he would look like a fool. Like Jonah, none of us want to look like a fool. But obeying God’s will is important, so Jonah eventually obeyed after that extraordinary experience.

1 This is the word of the Lord that came to Jonah, son of Amittai: 2 “Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and preach against it; their wickedness has come up before me.” 3 But Jonah made ready to flee to Tarshish away from the Lord. He went down to Joppa, found a ship going to Tarshish, paid the fare, and went aboard to journey with them to Tarshish, away from the Lord. 4 The Lord, however, hurled a violent wind upon the sea, and in the furious tempest that arose the ship was on the point of breaking up. 5 Then the mariners became frightened and each one cried to his god. To lighten the ship for themselves, they threw its cargo into the sea. Meanwhile, Jonah had gone down into the hold of the ship, and lay there fast asleep. 6 The captain came to him and said, “What are you doing asleep? Rise up, call upon your God! Perhaps God will be mindful of us so that we may not perish.” 7 Then they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots to find out on whose account we have met with this misfortune.” So they cast lots, and thus singled out Jonah. 8 “Tell us,” they said, “what is your business? Where do you come from? What is your country, and to what people do you belong?” 9 Jonah answered them, “I am a Hebrew, I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” 10 Now the men were seized with great fear and said to him, “How could you do such a thing!” They knew that he was fleeing from the Lord, because he had told them. 11 They asked, “What shall we do with you, that the sea may quiet down for us?” For the sea was growing more and more turbulent. 12 Jonah said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea, that it may quiet down for you; since I know it is because of me that this violent storm has come upon you.” 13 Still the men rowed hard to regain the land, but they could not, for the sea grew ever more turbulent. 14 Then they cried to the Lord: “We beseech you, O Lord, let us not perish for taking this man’s life; do not charge us with shedding innocent blood, for you, Lord, have done as you saw fit.” 15 Then they took Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea’s raging abated. 16 Struck with great fear of the Lord, the men offered sacrifice and made vows to him. 2:1 But the Lord sent a large fish, that swallowed Jonah; and Jonah remained in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. 2 From the belly of the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord, his God. 11 Then the Lord commanded the fish to spew Jonah upon the shore.

R: You will rescue my life from the pit, O Lord.

3 Out of my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me; from the midst of the nether world I cried for help, and you heard my voice. (R) 4 For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the sea, and the flood enveloped me; all your breakers and your billows passed over me. (R) 5 Then I said, “I am banished from your sight! Yet would I again look upon your holy temple.” (R) 8 When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord; my prayer reached you in your holy temple. (R)

People can be parochial when they want to be. This description of “who is my neighbor” was not what the lawyer expected. Jesus pulled no punches and said that all men and women are our neighbors. We are called to treat everyone as our friend. Of course, not everyone can be our friend in the literal meaning of the word. But we need to treat everyone with dignity, the way we would treat our closest friend.

I give you a new commandment: Love one another as I have loved you.

25 There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” 27 He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” 29 But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. 32 Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. 33 But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. 34 He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared for him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.’ 36 Which of these three, in your opinion, was  neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” 37 He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

think: We are called to treat everyone as our friend.

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Ecclesiastes 9-12 

“LOVE, AND DO WHAT YOU WILL”

Today, the road from Jerusalem to Jericho is a well-asphalted road where  cars and buses speed down to probably the oldest constantly occupied city in the world, 258 meters below sea level. Once, I traveled the ancient dirt road, which leads to the Judean wilderness — no car, no people, just some goats and a camel or two, here and there. To be honest, it was a bit scary to travel there and I could imagine how travelers in ancient times on this lonely desert road “fell victim to robbers.”

       The well-known parable of the Good Samaritan is a beautiful illustration of Christ’s commandment to love one’s neighbor, even one’s enemy. It is a difficult commandment to follow because we all know how hard it is to love an enemy. But for the first listeners, this parable must have been shocking. Why?

       The religious leaders, the priest and the Levite pass by the poor man and don’t help at all. But it is a Samaritan, so hated and despised by the Jews, whom Jesus puts as model before them. And how he helps! He stops, puts himself in danger of also being attacked by the robbers, applies wine for disinfection and oil for healing of the wounds. He brings the injured man to an inn and pays quite a big amount, seeing to it that the innkeeper wil take care of the man until he has fully recovered. For the Jews, he was a “heretic,” but he made the love of God visible. No wonder, Pope Francis shocked many in the first months of his papacy when he said that God’s mercy and love is limitless and that even atheists have the chance to be saved.

       At the Last Judgment, God will not ask us about how much money we have in our bank accounts or how many houses and cars we have. His only question will be: How much have you loved?

       St. Augustine wrote: “Once for all, then, a short precept is given you: Love, and do what you will.” Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

REFLECTION QUESTION: Do you love only those who are good to you, or do you also love those who hurt and harm you?

Lord, You have given us the perfect example of how it is to love. You died for me, a sinner.

Thank You, Lord, and let me never forget this truth.