Dear Friends,
1. Nineveh, B.C. Why did Jesus give his followers such a seemingly impossible command: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.” (Luke 6:27)? For the same reason God commands Jonah in today’s 1st Reading (Jonah 3:1-5, 10) to preach to the Ninevites (whom Jonah hated, and initially resisted going to) their need for repentance: because God is a merciful God who “desires all men to be saved” (1 Timothy 2:4). And the method God prefers to communicate this mercy to those who are far from Him is through you and me—our words and actions. God wants us to demonstrate today the truth of what was repeated in a variety of ways throughout the Old Testament: “But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” (Psalm 86:15). When Jonah preached “the message that I [the Lord] will tell you,” God, with Jonah, changed the world, and Nineveh was saved.
2. Galilee, 30 A.D. As God called Jonah in his lifetime to preach repentance for the salvation of souls, so in today’s gospel (Mark 1:14-20), Jesus calls Peter and Andrew to do the same in their lifetimes: “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” When Peter and Andrew preached the message the Lord told them, ie, “Go therefore and… teach them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20), God—with Peter and Andrew—changed the world, and many are were saved.
3. Pasadena, 2024. As God called Jonah and Peter and Andrew in their lifetimes to preach repentance for the salvation of souls, who is He calling to do this today on our peninsula in your lifetime? Clearly the Lord calls you and me.
A Twist to the “3 in 1” Challenge. In October, about 400 of us made a commitment to evangelize “3 people in 1 year.” I continue to be inspired by many in our pastorate who are sharing their “invitation stories” and how this challenge has changed your whole perspective on what it means to be a disciple of Christ, and how you’re experiencing in a new way the power of the Holy Spirit at work in your life and in the lives of those you’re reaching out to. Now here’s the hardest thing to do:
The Challenge of Jonah: “Can I reach out to one who hates me?”
It’s hard to love our enemies; we can relate to Jonah’s hesitancy. Yet, God calls us to reach out to them. He knows we cannot do this on our own, which is why He Himself provides the source of strength to do so: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). If we don’t love our enemies, who will? Thy Will be Done, Lord.
Peace in Christ,
Father Jim
