{"id":80,"date":"2015-02-02T22:14:00","date_gmt":"2015-02-02T22:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/labmind\/2015\/02\/an-unlikely-prophet.html"},"modified":"2016-03-25T17:30:11","modified_gmt":"2016-03-25T22:30:11","slug":"an-unlikely-prophet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/labmind\/2015\/02\/an-unlikely-prophet.html","title":{"rendered":"An Unlikely Prophet"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>
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\u00a0<\/p>\n

Of the many priests who taught me while in seminary, the most joy-filled one was an Irish Dominican friar, Father Paul Murray. \u00a0He was a man of deep prayer, faithful to the Church and always ready to tell a good story. \u00a0In one of his courses titled \u201cGod and the Poets\u201d we discussed the presence of humor in Scripture. \u00a0We also considered passages written by Saint Thomas Aquinas where Father Murray found traces of humor in the great theologian\u2019s works.<\/div>\n

Haga click para espa\u00f1ol<\/a><\/p>\n

Until taking this course I had been familiar with the Old Testament story of Jonah, but had never thought of finding humor in it. \u00a0Everyone knows that Jonah was swallowed up by a whale for three days and that he preached a message of repentance to the city of Nineveh, but if you take five minutes out of your busy schedule, you will read and laugh by reading this very brief Old Testament book in its entirety.<\/p>\n

Jonah was called by God to leave his country to preach to the Ninehvites. \u00a0Disobedient, Jonah took a ship in a different direction, but a terrible storm arose. \u00a0Jonah was thrown out from the ship after he confessed that he had been disobedient to his God. \u00a0A giant fish swallowed him and took him to shore. \u00a0Jonah reluctantly obeyed God and preached to the Ninehvites, that they may repent from their evil ways. \u00a0Once the king heard the message he ordered the citizens of Nineveh to fast, to cover themselves with sackcloth and to repent.<\/p>\n

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Hugging a giant fish in Belfast, Ireland (2006)<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

One would think that after the repentance of Nineveh Jonah would be satisfied that his mission had been successful. \u00a0Yet Jonah\u2019s response is as unexpected as it is humorous. \u00a0We read that \u201c[the repentance of Nineveh] greatly displeased Jonah, and he became angry.\u201d \u00a0Jonah curses God because he knows that God is \u201cgracious and merciful, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and repenting of punishment.\u201d \u00a0Jonah is so angry with God\u2019s mercy that he wishes he would die. \u00a0This prophet is an unlikely prophet!<\/p>\n

Despite Jonah\u2019s anger, God makes a plant grow where he is sitting, and Jonah is very happy with the shade it provides. \u00a0 The next morning however a worm eats the plant, a strong wind blows, and the sun beats down on the poor prophet. \u00a0Jonah says to God, \u201cI have a right to be angry \u2013 angry enough to die.\u201d \u00a0The book ends with God scolding Jonah for being so concerned about the insignificant dead plant while He is concerned with the Ninehvites and their repentant animals (have you ever imagined cows wearing sackcloth?)<\/p>\n

Philosophers state that humor is caused by placing together unusual or unexpected events, objects, or ideas. \u00a0Humor is found in the coming together of incongruities. \u00a0The unusual and unexpected anger towards the success of his work makes Jonah a puzzling and humorous character. \u00a0The humor of the book reminds me it is always important to laugh at myself and to recall that if Jonah was able to fulfill God\u2019s will faithfully despite his difficulties, there is great hope for everyone!<\/p>\n

Pictures are mine, all rights reserved.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0 Of the many priests who taught me while in seminary, the most joy-filled one was an Irish Dominican friar, Father Paul Murray. \u00a0He was a man of deep prayer, faithful to the Church and always ready to tell a good story. \u00a0In one of his courses titled \u201cGod and the Poets\u201d we discussed the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2533,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-80","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nAn Unlikely Prophet<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"  Of the many priests who taught me while in seminary, the most joy-filled one was an Irish Dominican friar, Father Paul Murray. \u00a0He was a man of\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" 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