Patient God
Victor Edwin SJ
The message of the scriptures of the Semitic religions in general is: God is merciful and forgiving. The rituals of the Jews, the liturgy of the Christians and the Namaz the Muslims offer help the followers of these religions to experience merciful and forgiving dimensions of God, differently though.
God is patient. This dimension is often neglected. It shows in the lives of the followers of these religions. They seem to be patient rites, rituals, dogmas of other religions, especially religions of the East.
Two stories, which I read and reflected on, challenged my attitude towards others.
Jonah was a prophet sent to Nineveh, the town of a non Jewish population. Jonah was not excited about going to Nineveh. Though, he was reluctant to preach to the Ninevites God forced him to go to Nineveh and prophesize to Ninevites. Jonah went. Finally.
Every Ninevite repented wearing sack clothes and sitting in ashes, on hearing the words of Jonah. On repenting God showed mercy toward the people of Nineveh. Interestingly, this disappointed the prophet. He sulked at God’s mercy to a non-Jewish population. He was surprised how God could be merciful towards sinful non-Jewish Ninevites. How could God be patient with them?
However, he understands God’s pity and God’s patience with people who do not belong to the Jewish race. God’s patience taught Jonah, that God is God of all.
The patriarch Abraham had a custom to invite a guest for a meal every Monday. On Monday evening he waited for one. He saw an old man walking past his dwelling. Abraham invited him to have a meal with him. The old man arrived at the door-step and washed his feet and hands according to the oriental customs. As both sat down for the meal, Abraham told the guest that he had to offer prayer to God. The guest told Abraham that he was an unbeliever. Abraham felt offended and sent away the guest without any meals. As the old man went away, the Angel Gabriel appeared to Abraham and reprimanded him for his impatience. Gabriel told Abraham that God was patient with the old man for the last seventy years. God cared for the life and properties of the old man with much patience. “God is feeding the person for the last seventy years… but you did not share a meal with him because of your impatience”, said Gabriel and disappeared.
Human person needs to learn patience from creator.
The message of the scriptures of the Semitic religions in general is: God is merciful and forgiving. The rituals of the Jews, the liturgy of the Christians and the Namaz the Muslims offer help the followers of these religions to experience merciful and forgiving dimensions of God, differently though.
God is patient. This dimension is often neglected. It shows in the lives of the followers of these religions. They seem to be patient rites, rituals, dogmas of other religions, especially religions of the East.
Two stories, which I read and reflected on, challenged my attitude towards others.
Jonah was a prophet sent to Nineveh, the town of a non Jewish population. Jonah was not excited about going to Nineveh. Though, he was reluctant to preach to the Ninevites God forced him to go to Nineveh and prophesize to Ninevites. Jonah went. Finally.
Every Ninevite repented wearing sack clothes and sitting in ashes, on hearing the words of Jonah. On repenting God showed mercy toward the people of Nineveh. Interestingly, this disappointed the prophet. He sulked at God’s mercy to a non-Jewish population. He was surprised how God could be merciful towards sinful non-Jewish Ninevites. How could God be patient with them?
However, he understands God’s pity and God’s patience with people who do not belong to the Jewish race. God’s patience taught Jonah, that God is God of all.
The patriarch Abraham had a custom to invite a guest for a meal every Monday. On Monday evening he waited for one. He saw an old man walking past his dwelling. Abraham invited him to have a meal with him. The old man arrived at the door-step and washed his feet and hands according to the oriental customs. As both sat down for the meal, Abraham told the guest that he had to offer prayer to God. The guest told Abraham that he was an unbeliever. Abraham felt offended and sent away the guest without any meals. As the old man went away, the Angel Gabriel appeared to Abraham and reprimanded him for his impatience. Gabriel told Abraham that God was patient with the old man for the last seventy years. God cared for the life and properties of the old man with much patience. “God is feeding the person for the last seventy years… but you did not share a meal with him because of your impatience”, said Gabriel and disappeared.
Human person needs to learn patience from creator.
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