“When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out.” (Jonah 3:10)

God sends the prophet Jonah to warn the people of Nineveh that they are about to be destroyed because of their evil ways.  However, the Ninevites take Jonah and God seriously and they change their ways.  The Scripture is clear: God saw by their actions that they repented!  The people of Nineveh didn’t just think about it or say, ‘Yeah, one day we will get around to it, God.’  They change and it is evident by their actions!

During this season of Lent, the Church gives us this time to reflect on where are we not like God?  Yes, we are good people but like Jesus does so generously on the cross, Lent is a time for us to allow God to stretch us.  If we know we need to be more loving at home, what are the actions that show God we are serious?  God may be calling us to stretch ourselves at work or at school to be more kind and welcoming: what actions is God seeing to prove to Him we are sincere?

All of us have a tendency to be complacent: we don’t like to be uncomfortable.  The Christian faith is not about being comfortable.  We, especially in this Lenten season, are called to change, to become more and more like our Lord Jesus.  This can be uncomfortable, annoying and a slew of other adjectives.  But we are still called!

When God sees our actions will He know that we are working with His grace to become more loving, more forgiving, more generous, more truthful, more virtuous, less judgmental?

Fr. Andy Prachar