Who Knows, God May Relent and Forgive

February 13, 2008
Wednesday of the First Week in Lent
By Melanie Rigney

When the king of Nineveh heard Jonah’s announcement the city would be destroyed in forty days, he decreed: “‘Man and beast shall be covered with sackcloth and call loudly to God; every man shall turn from his evil way and from the violence he has in hand. Who knows, God may relent and forgive, and withhold his blazing wrath, so we shall not perish.’ When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do them; he did not carry it out.” (Jonah 3:8-10)

“Have mercy on me, God, in your goodness; in your abundant compassion blot out my offense. Wash away all my guilt; from my sin cleanse me.” (Psalms 51:3-4)

Jesus said to the crowd: “Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. … (T)here is something greater than Jonah here.” (Luke 11:30, 32)

Piety

Lord, deliver me from despair. Let me trust and believe in you despite those who have no faith in me. Your faith is enough.

Study

Today's Readings

Everyone's Way of the Cross, Station 9

You can almost see Jonah rolling his eyes as he enters Nineveh, the city that’s so large it’s going to take him three days to cross it. God’s sent him to warn the Ninevites that the city’s going to be destroyed. Jonah’s just fine with that; they deserve it. What concerns him is what he sees as the very real likelihood God will change his mind.

Which, of course, God does. The Ninevites hear the warning, believe it, proclaim a fast, don sackcloth, and turn away from their evil ways. God decides not to carry out the threat.

It never ceases to astound us, how and why God is willing to be gracious unto us—all of us—no matter what the sin.

In the Lenten season, it can be helpful to give a thought to the suffering of Judas as well as the suffering of Christ. For while Christ had hope and faith, at the end, Judas had none. Everyone’s Way of the Cross by Clarence Enzler (Ave Maria Press, revised 1986) poignantly notes this in the response to Station 9, The Third Fall. It reads in part:

When all my strength is gone

and guilt and self-reproach

press me to earth and seem to hold me fast,

protect me from the sin of Judas—

save me from despair!

Whatever the cross we are now carrying—physical, mental, or emotional—Christ is on the journey with us, providing respite, easing our burden. We must cry out for help, from Christ and from those in our communities, when the burden seems unbearable. Let us have the bravery to ask for assistance before despair sets in.

Action

Are you nearing the point of despair over the loss or pending loss of a loved one? Is foreclosure or bankruptcy looming? Is your job in jeopardy?

Northern Virginia offers numerous resources for those near their breaking point. One place to start is our diocesan Web site, http://www.arlingtondiocese.org/ministries.html. County and city Web sites also can provide assistance.

If you are in a good place right now, you undoubtedly know someone who is close to despair. Reach out. Listen without judgment. Invite him or her to your group reunion or parish Ultreya, or to attend a parish Lenten activity together. The person’s receptivity might surprise you.