The Holy Book of Jonah in the Old Testament tells the familiar story of Jonah, the fleeing prophet. Forty-eight verses comprise the entire story. This is a story of a legendary character with a nature similar to our own. Jonah, a contemporary of the prophet Amos, had faults, shortcomings, and weaknesses.

The Lord chose Jonah the Prophet despite his faults and used his weaknesses to make him stronger. The Lord worked through him, in him, and with him to give him guidance and to teach him. Mentally and spiritually Jonah benefited from many lessons within his Old Testament Book. Let us more closely examine why perhaps the Lord loved Jonah.

"Now the Word of the Lord came to Jonah, saying 'Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.' Upon hearing this, Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord" (Jonah 1:1-2).

As you know, Jonah attempted to flee from the presence of the Lord. On route to Tarshish a mighty and powerful wind came upon the sea. So strong was this wind that the ship was threatening to break into pieces and sink. Jonah and his troubles were discovered to be the cause of the tribulations upon the mariners of the ship. After much contemplation, prayer, and the casting of lots, Jonah was finally thrown overboard into the raging sea.

Here God's care for Jonah becomes very evident. Events do not happen without Divine Providence. God sent the great winds and strong gales to show His displeasure with Jonah's disobedience. Even so, the Lord also sent Jonah a place of safekeeping in his oppression. Jonah could have met death as he was tossed over the ship. But the Lord in His Goodness chose to protect Jonah. Why did God love Jonah?

Perhaps the answer lies within the belly of the great fish that swallowed Jonah. God sent a fish beside the boat to swallow Jonah. Jonah inside this fish's belly was most probably in darkness with the exception of when the fish surfaced for oxygen. He was most probably tossed about constantly with the diving and swimming motions of the fish. Further, one can imagine the salty water ever present and immersing most of his human body. As Jonah underwent all of these perils within the fish we are not told of anything negative he said against the Lord.

I am quite sure Jonah realized the God of the sea received him and protected him. The fish was Jonah's shelter and not a punishment. It would take a very wise man to rationalize this message under these dire circumstances. He was given a place of safekeeping not death. For three days and three nights he remained in the belly of the whale. Perhaps God loved Jonah for his inspiring faith while captive in the fish... Inside the whale, Jonah the Prophet blessed the Lord. He called upon the Lord in his affliction. Jonah did not demonstrate fear nor are we told he appeared troubled. There is no documentation that he grieved his circumstances. Jonah in his wisdom knew the Lord created this great fish that consumed him. He knew the great fish's life and direction were both guided by the Lord. Perhaps God loved Jonah for his trust in the Unseen.

Within the belly of the whale, Jonah returned to his senses. He knelt down and prayed to God. He beheld the Lord "his" God and rejoiced in His presence. He returned once again to his prophetic rites. He returned to an obedient God-loving man, believing in His Holy promises. Jonah offered thanksgiving. Perhaps this nature of Jonah during hardship was what made God love him so.

Previously Jonah called the Lord, "God of Heaven," but in oppression, "The Lord HIS God." Jonah realized the Lord was the Savior of the oppressed and the sufferers. Just as Jonah came upon this realization we should too. Jonah is a symbol of our weaknesses, which can also help to make us stronger.

The waves did not suffocate Jonah. The whale caught him up and he did not perish. After three days and three nights, the Lord commanded the fish to "vomit Jonah onto dry land" (Jonah 2:10). His salvation came from the Lord.

As the billows and waves of life also encompass us, let us follow Jonah's example and trust in the Lord. Remember Jonah's whale and be assured of our God's long suffering. Be careful in your complaints. Jonah's example of blessing your circumstances and having faith preserved his life.

The great fish can come in many disguises in the contemporary world of today. As Christians we need to take on this spirit of wondrous faith and assurance of the Unseen. Jonah was given another chance. I believe our God is long-suffering. He does not hastily abandon or become angry with those servants who fall by the wayside.

Let us pray that we will all learn many lessons from Jonah's example inside the belly of the whale. Let us draw closer to the Lord "his" God realizing through his Biblical example that this also makes Him the Lord "our" God.


Source: H.G. Bishop Youssef Coptic Orthodox Diocese of SUS

As true masters of fasting, they, the desert fathers, more than any Christians, can teach us about discipline in fasting! A leader of a community asked Abba Poemen: How can I gain the fear of God?? Abba Poemen replied: How indeed can we gain the fear of God when we have bellies full of cheese and jars of salted fish??Abba Poemen thus teaches us that the ultimate goal of fasting is to help lead us, or to open us, to the fear of God.

It is for this reason that the Copts avoid meat and all animal extracts including eggs, milk, butter, and cheese. As Abba Poemen stated, the goal is help lead us to God, and food can be one less worry we have with which to occupy ourselves. Although not all fasts are the same, fish is abstained from during the fasts of Jonah, Wednesdays and Fridays, and Great Lent.

Also designated 'the Fast of Nineveh', this fast is observed to commemorate the penance of the Ninevites through the preaching of Jonah (Jon. 3:1-10).

This fast was originally kept by the Syrian Orthodox Church and was adopted as one of the fasts of the Coptic church by Pope Abraham, the sixty-second pope of Alexandria (975-978), as a mark of unity and solidarity between the two sister churches.

The fast lasts for three whole days, representing the time spent by Jonah inside the belly of the whale, starting on a Monday, exactly two weeks before the fast of the Great Lent. Liturgies are held daily in the afternoon. The eating of fish and all forms of animal fat are abstained from by the church during this fast.

Claremont Coptic Encyclopedia Vol. 4

OVERVIEW

"And when we examine the story of Jonah, great is the force of the resemblance. Jesus was sent to preach repentance; Jonah also was sent: but whereas the one fled, not knowing what should come to pass; the other came willingly, to give repentance unto salvation. Jonah was asleep in the ship, and snoring amidst the stormy sea;while Jesus also slept, the sea, according to God's providence, began to rise, to show in the sequel the might of Him who slept. To the one they said, "Why are you sleeping? Arise, call you're your God, that God may save us;" but in the other case they say unto the Master, "Lord, save us." Then, they said, Call upon thy God; here they say, save Thou.

But the one says, Take me, and cast me into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you; the other, Himself rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. The one was cast into a whale's belly: but the other of His own accord went down, where the invisible whale of death is. And He went down of His own accord, that death might cast up those whom he had devoured, according to that which is written, I will ransom them from the power of the grave; and from the hand of death I will redeem them.

St. Cyril of Jerusalem.

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Call for sinners to repent.

The prophecy proclaims God's call for the people of Nineveh to repent by sending Jonah to them. The Vespers' Gospel speaks about the Savior's call for the people to repent: "If you do not repent, you will all perish." The Matins' Gospel concerns God's mercy towards His people and their cry for forgiveness. As for the Liturgy Gospel, it deals with the penitents' continued life of grace. The Pauline Epistle urges people to live in the fear of God, while the Catholic Epistle deals with the perishment of sinners. The Acts deals with the growth of the Church by the penitents' return to the Lord, away from the life of sin.

Urging the sinners to hear the Word of God.

The prophecy deals with God's attentive ear to the sinners' repentance as He heard Jonah's cry while he was in the belly of the whale. The matins Gospel deals with God's tolerance with sinners and the liturgy gospel is about the Savior's constant call for the people to listen to the Word of God. The Pauline Epistle is about the necessity to hear the Word of God, the Catholic Epistle talks about the importance of turning from evil ways, and the Acts reading calls for repentance.

Forgiveness for penitents.

The prophecy here revolves around God's delight with penitents. The Matins' Gospel proclaims God's mercy to those who repent, and the Liturgy Gospel declares the Savior 's forgiveness for penitent sinners. The Pauline Epistle talks about the grace of salvation toward those who repent, the Catholic Epistle refers to renouncing worldly pleasures, while the Acts calls for the mercy towards repentant sinners.

The Feast of Jonah

On this day is declared the salvation of those who believe in Christ's Resurrection. The Matins' Gospel deals with the Savior 's support to those who believe in His ability to forgive their sins. The Liturgy Gospel proclaims the Lord's power, evident in His Resurrection. The Pauline Epistle declares the salvation of those who believe in His Resurrection, the Catholic Epistle proclaims salvation by the Sacrament of Baptism, which is considered a symbol of our Lord's death and Resurrection, and the Acts talk about the blessings bestowed on the people by our Lord's Resurrection.

Focus on the Coptic Family Fr. Mikhail Mikhail