Jonah 3:1-10 / Luke 11:29-32 (2020)
The name Jonah is a Jewish name and it means "a dove".
A dove is a symbol of docility and gentleness.
But Jonah was neither docile nor gentle.
In fact, he hated the Ninevites, the archenemy of Israel, because they annihilated the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
So when Jonah opened his mouth to speak what God told him to say, he was not gentle at all. In fact he was blunt and provocative.
Yet, his message was heeded and the Ninevites started repenting.
Jesus had all the signs - his miracles over nature, over diseases and over demons.
Yet, when He proclaimed His message of repentance and conversion, he met with rejection and hostility.
But yet, Jesus did not give up.
He knew that His message would bring about conversion, eventually.
We the Church are the fruit of that conversion.
It is for us to continue listening to this message of repentance and conversion.
Because we the Church are called to be the sign and hope of conversion, especially the conversion of the world.
We are to show the world how to move from sinfulness to holiness.