Please read this passage before reading this homily.
Suppose Jonah the prophet were sent to Russia to announce the imminent destruction of Moscow. Suppose that Vladmir Putin would proclaim a fast and all his people would repent of their sins. You might think that there is a fat chance that that would happen.
The people of Nineveh, however, were Jerusalem’s fiercest enemy and Jonah did not want to go to them because he was afraid they would be converted and he would have to let them live. Jonah wanted them dead.
I suspect that Vladimir Putin would more likely be converted than we would be. We have not done all kinds of sinning such as that done by Putin. We do not need conversion, but we are certain that he does. We are always better than our adversaries. At the preaching of Jonah, the entire population of Nineve, include the cattle and herds, did penance. The only person who did not have a change of heart was Jonah; he still harbored ill will towards the people of Nineve.
The word of God in today’s passage is written for us to hear and obey. It is to touch our hearts with God’s grace. It is to set our hearts aright with God. Once we are converted the conversion of the rest of the world will be easy.
In a very real sense, we have entered the desert of Lent. Our assignment is to prepare to journey to Nineve to proclaim God’s word to the people there. They will hear, but only after we have given up running away to our Tarshishes. We need conversion so that they can be converted.
We need repentance. Our world’s leaders need repentance. Our nation’s leaders need repentance. We need repentance, and our leaders will repent only after we have repented. Our leaders always follow the lead of their people. Now all you Jonahs get ready for your assignments: it is for us to go off to Nineve the great city with God’s message of forgiveness and grace.