Mercy Triumphs

God saw their efforts to renounce their evil behaviour, and God relented: he did not inflict on them the disaster which he had threatened.
Jnh.3:10

Jonah has reluctantly obeyed God and preached a warning to the Ninevites. A sweeping wave of repentance crosses the city and God relents from the punishment he had planned.

The story of Jonah the reluctant prophet is well known, the more so because Jesus quotes it, as recorded in today's Gospel. Jesus holds up Jonah as a sign to what he calls a "wicked generation". The sign is a call to repentance. 

The Ninevites were infamous for their cruelty. They had much to repent yet they did and God relented. The Ninevites not only repented, they changed. Words need action to follow and action, as we see in today's psalm, comes from a contrite heart. 

This is a story of how great God's mercy is. I need God's mercy as much as any Ninevite. Sin is sin and I'm a sinner. 

Jesus, may your mercy triumph over judgement. Holy Spirit, I crush my spirit so I may be filled with yours.
Saint Philip Neri, please pray for me.