In the first reading, God called Jonah to tell the people of Nineveh to change their ways. In the gospel, Jesus called the first disciples to follow Him. They were called in different ways and for different purposes. God calls each and everyone of us in different ways, but no matter how he calls us or what he wants us to do for him, he expects all of us to answer in a positive way… or else… yari tayo.
God called Jonah the first time, and when he refused, the boat he was on while trying to run away from God was hit by a storm, and he ended up in the belly of a whale. We cannot run away from God. It’s useless and stupid to run away from God when he calls us, when he expects us to do something. God’s perfect plan cannot be ruined by us humans, and if we choose to disobey him, especially even after he tries to give us “not so gentle” warnings and reminders, we are only bringing destruction upon ourselves, not to God’s plan.
In the second reading, it says that time is running out, and the world is passing away. The gospel shows Jesus telling us to repent and believe in the gospel. How much God loves us! He knows that as human beings, we tend to get tangled up in the concerns of the world. That is why he constantly reminds us to know our priorities, to know where our focus should be. He warns us and asks us to detach from material things, because as he said, all things of this world will pass. Yes we are living in this world, but we need not live of this world. We should be conscious not to be too attached to material things, so it would be easier for us to immediately respond to God’s call, like the disciples who immediately abandoned their nets and their father to follow Jesus, and the people of Nineveh who immediately repented and responded to Jonah’s warning.
What are you holding on to? What baggage is weighing you down? What prevents you from fully following God?
May we always remember that we are not permanent residents of this world, and that we are destined to be in heaven with God. As we live our lives in this world, may we constantly seek his voice, and may we be ready to immediately respond positively when he calls us. No matter what our concerns may be, like Jonah who probably hated the people of Nineveh or was afraid of being embarrassed and ignored in preaching God’s message, may we respond positively to God’s call, and trust in Him and his power, knowing that He is God of everything and he can and will use us mightily for his purpose, for his glory.
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