Accepting the will of God in our lives

 

Today we finish our reading from the book of Jonah. It is a short story which began showing us how Jonah tried to escape from carrying out God's will. The problem was that he was asked to bring God's tenderness and compassion to the people whom he considered to be the cruel oppressors of his Israel. For Jonas God should punish not forgive the people of Nineveh. However he is brought to change his mind and he carries out God's plan in a very successful way. The people of Nineveh repent and are pardoned by God. Strangely Jonas is angry that he has achieved a great result which was really against what he wanted. He could not accept that he had been God's instrument for good. He wanted that his own will be done not God's. Every time we say the prayer that Jesus taught us we pray asking the Father that his will be done. Strangely that important phrase is taken from Matthew's gospel as it is left out of Luke's version that we hear today (Luke 11:1-4). Do we sometimes face the problem of Jonas as we struggle to discover and accept the will of God in our life? We might even be tempted to question God's love for us us when we or a family member are suffering from a serious illness, unemployment or the pain of the breakdown of a close relationship. But is more likely that we fail to carry out out second part of God's command, ''Love your neighbour as yourself.'' How can I think of forgiving that person who has treated me so badly? Dear Lord, thank you for showing me that I am sometimes like Jonas and find it difficult to accept your will. Help me to see that you are always loving and compassionate to me so that I may act in that same way to others.