Nineveh was the capital of ancient Assyria, the land of the ferocious conquerors of Mesopotamia. They had overthrown the kingdom of the great Babylon and were a continuous threat to all the other smaller states like Syria, Moab and Ammon. In particular, the Northern state of Israel was ruled, in the particular time described in the book of Jonah, by Jeroboam II, the most relevant among the rulers of this kingdom (793 - 753 B. C.) who expanded the borders of Israel to its maximum, in an effort to impose himself as a superpower in the region. This very fact made him a natural target of the equally expansionist Assyria. It is, therefore, understandable the reluctance of Jonah to obey to the command of going to bring a message of hope to Nineveh, because of its political and social implications. It would have meant siding with the enemy against his own people and guaranteeing God’s blessings to the hated Assyrians. “I knew it from the very beginning that you are a forgiving and merciful God, rich in mercy and compassion and slow to anger, that is why I was trying to run away to Tharshis…” (Jon 4:2). To a narrow minded like Jonah only Israel, as people of the Covenant, belonged to God and had a right to his benevolence, the other peoples were destined to live in the darkness of idolatry and ignorance, and therefore, condemned to be rejected by God.

During these three days God wants to expand our vision too and share his plan of loving care and attention for his people. In God’s heart there is room for everybody. It is the constant message of both the Old and New Testaments. “You cry over an evergreen plant that you did not sow and did not water and which has died overnight. Should not I also care and feel compassion for the over one hundred twenty thousand people in Nineveh who do not distinguish their right from their left hand?” (4:9/10). “I do not want the death of the sinner, rather that he repents, abandons his crooked ways and live” (Ezekiel)

If we cannot overcome our narrow mindedness and include in our prayers and attention all the peoples of the earth, including those whom we have pre-judged to be on the wrong side also with God only because they do not share our visions and interests, we do not share God’s vision. If we do not accept to share our love and forgiveness to those we consider our enemies, we do not have God’s attitudes who has plans of peace and prosperity for everybody.

Jonah’s time in the belly of the ‘great fish’ was time of retreat and conversion. In this period of silence and solitude He came to realize and admit that he was living enveloped by the darkest narrow mindedness of pride and self interest, which was relegating him in the land of the dead. In his desolate situation he came to know himself as a needy and sinful person, prisoner of the weeds of pride and whims, and that he was not any better than any of those he had claimed to be God’s enemies. He then shed tears of repentance and confession: “You cast your eyes away from me, but I will still turn to your altar!”

Only after this confession his eyes are opened and he can see a ray of hope brightening his heart: “you have lifted me from the pit of destruction” which will lead him to a the basic realization: “Salvation comes only through God!” A complete conversion of heart, an admission that his predetermined mind of righteousness was arbitrary and baseless. He is now free, his own horizon has spread wide open and can sing God’s praises and thanksgiving: “I will lift you a song of thanksgiving, offer you sacrifices, and absolve my vows to you.”

This is the journey we are expected to go through these days of our priestly intercession for our people and Country.