Gospel, Homily and Coffee

What was similar and what was different between the Gospel and first Reading? And what does it say to us and how we live our lives? What is the Good News? First, the big similarity, Repentance.   Repentance which means change the direction of our lives. Both Jonah and Jesus communicate God’s desire for a change in people. Yet, it’s the difference between Jonah and Jesus, or rather the difference in the motivation for repentance that is important. Jonah preached the wrath of God.  “forty days more and you will be destroyed!” He uses fear.  He represents a stereotypical preacher, probably that image we have in our mind anyway. Jesus’ approach is vastly different:  It’s an invitation.  The Kingdom of Heaven is near; it is a time fulfillment, but this is not to cause fear.   Change your lives AND believe in the Good News The Good News means that God truly desires us to be part of his Kingdom. It is a Kingdom of mercy, compassion, generosity, forgiveness, self-