Jonah – Chapter 3

Old Testament10 Verses

1And the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time saying:

2Arise, and go to Ninive, the great city: and preach in it the preaching that I bid thee.

3And Jonah arose, and went to Ninive, according to the word of the Lord: now Ninive was a great city of three days' journey.

4And Jonah began to enter into the city one day's journey: and he cried and said: Yet forty days and Ninive shall be destroyed.

5And the men of Ninive believed in God: and they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least.

6And the word came to the king of Ninive: and he rose up out of his throne, and cast away his robe from him, and was clothed in sackcloth, and sat in ashes.

7And he caused it to be proclaimed and published in Ninive, from the mouth of the king and of his princes, saying: Let neither men nor beasts, oxen, nor sheep taste anything: let them not feed, nor drink water.

8And let men and beasts be covered with sackcloth, and cry to the Lord with all their strength, and let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the iniquity that is in their hands.

9Who can tell if God will turn, and forgive: and will turn away from his fierce anger, and we shall not perish?

10And God saw their works, that they were turned from their evil way: and God had mercy with regard to the evil which he had said that he would do to them, and he did it not.

Reflection for Today

The message of Jonah Chapter 3 unfolds within the broader narrative of God's mercy extends to all nations. Catholic theology, drawing on Jesus cited Jonah as a sign of His resurrection (CIC 994), sees in this chapter a call to deeper faith. The principle that God's compassion reaches even to enemies guides our interpretation.

The Church Fathers, including St. Augustine, St. Jerome, and St. John Chrysostom, devoted themselves to explaining Scripture for the faithful. Their insights, preserved in the Church's Tradition, continue to illuminate our reading. The Catechism reminds us that "the Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures as she venerated the Body of the Lord" (CIC 103).

As you engage with this chapter, bring your questions, struggles, and hopes to the text. God's Word addresses the whole person—mind, heart, and will. Through the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, we receive the grace to live what we read. May this chapter strengthen your faith and deepen your love for Christ and His Church.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

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