AND THERE IS SOMETHING GREATER THAN JONAH HERE

Gal 4,22-24.26-27.31-5,1; Ps 112; Lk 11,29-32
15 OCTOBER

Jonah was sent by the Lord to Nineveh to announce to the great city that the day of his destruction was by now, imminent. Even the animals were forced to fast, in order to obtain from the Lord the forgiveness of their sins. Thus the city would have been spared. The Lord would have seen their conversion and would have forgiven their sin. A thing that actually happened. The word of prophecy is also valid for Nineveh: “I do not want the death of the sinner but that he gets converted and lives”.

You ask: “Why is not the son charged with the guilt of his father?” Because the son has done what is right and just, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live. Only the one who sins shall die. The son shall not be charged with the guilt of his father, nor shall the father be charged with the guilt of his son. The virtuous man’s virtue shall be his own, as the wicked man’s wickedness shall be his own. But if the wicked man turns away from all the sins he committed, if he keeps all my statutes and does what is right and just, he shall surely live, he shall not die. None of the crimes he committed shall be remembered against him; he shall live because of the virtue he has practiced. Do I indeed derive any pleasure from the death of the wicked? says the Lord God. Do I not rather rejoice when he turns from his evil way that he may live? And if the virtuous man turns from the path of virtue to do evil, the same kind of abominable things that the wicked man does, can he do this and still live? None of his virtuous deeds shall be remembered, because he has broken faith and committed sin; because of this, he shall die.

You say, “The Lord’s way is not fair!” Hear now, house of Israel: Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair? When a virtuous man turns away from virtue to commit iniquity, and dies, it is because of the iniquity he committed that he must die. But if a wicked man, turning from the wickedness he has committed, does what is right and just, he shall preserve his life; since he has turned away from all the sins which he committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. And yet the house of Israel says, “The Lord’s way is not fair!” Is it my way that is not fair, house of Israel, or rather, is it not that your ways are not fair? Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, each one according to his ways, says the Lord God. Turn and be converted from all your crimes, that they may be no cause of guilt for you. Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies, says the Lord God. Return and live! (See Ez 18,1-32).

Jonah literally said only seven words: “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be destroyed”. Seven words were enough for everyone to be converted. Jonah has made no sign. He gave no proof of his being a prophet of the Living God. Instead, Jesus has performed signs, miracles and prodigies of all kinds, far superior to those performed by Moses, Elijah, Elisha and all the others sent by God in the midst of his people. What was the response of your generation? Not only total deafness, but also fierce opposition that came to a death sentence by crucifixion.

While still more people gathered in the crowd, he said to them, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here. At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here.

Deafness before Christ Jesus, the God made flesh for the salvation of man, reveals that the heart is by now lost behind idolatry. This is the true mystery of iniquity. Total closure of the mind and heart to God and his envoys. We are responsible for the refused gift. On the day of judgment we will be judged also for every refused grace.

Most Pure Mother, Angels and Saints give the people of God the Spirit of true conversion.