Yesterday’s celebration of the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary momentarily took our attention away from the story of Jonah, which we began reading this last Monday. Jonah finally agreed to carry out the mission God had given him, only to face the very outcome he had been trying to avoid.
God showed mercy to the people because they repented, and Jonah, frustrated, reacted by saying, “That’s exactly what I said would happen.” He became angry with God and defended his feelings, insisting, “I have every right to be angry…angry enough to die” (Jonay 4:1-11).
We reflect on how we, too, sometimes resist or obstruct the good that God desires for others. May we ask for God’s mercy when we fail to handle our anger, constructively, in ways that lead to grace and growth.