Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/332

 Jonas, the fifteenth  type  of  Jesus  Christ. Jonas  was  a type  of  the Divine Redeemer. Our Lord  Himself  teaches  us  this  when  He  says (New Test.  XXVII):  “An  adulterous  generation  seeketh  after  a sign, and a sign  shall  not  be  given  it  but  the  sign  of  Jonas  the  prophet. For as  Jonas  was  in  the  whale’s  belly  three  days  and  three  nights,  so shall  the  Son  of  man  be  in  the  heart  of  the  earth  three  days  and  three nights.” Jonas  is  also  a type  of  our  Lord  in  other  ways. He was  sent not only  to  the  Jews,  but  also  to  the  Gentiles: our  Lord  came  and  died for both  Jews  and  Gentiles. Jonas offered  himself  up  to  die  of  his  own free-will, to  appease  God’s  anger,  and  save  his  fellow-passengers. Our Lord went  willingly  to  death  in  order  to  satisfy  the  divine  justice  and save us,  His  brethren,  from  eternal  death.

Revelation to  the  Gentiles.  God  showed  mercy  to  the  Gentiles  and manifested Himself  to  them. The sojourn  of  Jacob  and  his  descendants in Egypt,  as  also  Moses’  great  miracles  in  the  desert,  had  served  to make  God  more  or  less  knowm  among  the  Gentiles. Elias was  sent  to Sarepta,  and  there  worked  miracles  in  God’s  name  among  the  heathen. Eliseus cured  the  Syrian  Naaman,  and  thereby  made  known  God’s almighty power  to  the  pagan  Syrians. Jonas was  sent  by  God  to  the greatest city  of  the  pagan  world,  to  preach  penance  to  its  inhabitants, and make  known  to  them  the  Omnipotence,  Justice,  and  Mercy  of  the true God.

Relapse into  sin. Two  hundred  years  after,  when  the  Ninivites  had returned to  their  former  state  of  wickedness  and,  this  time,  remained impenitent, God’s  threatened  judgment  fell  on  them. The abominable city was  entirely  destroyed  and  levelled  to  the  ground,  606  B.  C.  This shows us  how  dangerous  it  is  to  fall  back  into  sin.

Cruelty to  animals. God  showed  mercy  even  to  the  beasts  in  Ninive, for they  too  are  his  creatures. How good  it  would  be  if  men  would take pity  on  beasts  and  refrain  from  ill-treating  them.

Do you  take  compassion  on  your  unfortunate fellow-creatures? Do you  do  your  best  to  comfort  them  and  help them? Or do  you  rejoice  when  any  evil  or  punishment  overtakes them? Are you  ever  cruel  to  animals?

Are you  sorry  for  your  sins? What have  you  done  to  make satisfaction for  them? You could  very  well  forego  some  pleasure at times,  or  deny  yourself  in  eating,  and  offer  these  acts  of  self-denial  to  God  as  a penance  for  your  sins. Try every  day  to arouse  feelings  of  compunction  in  your  heart!