Jonah 3:10 lets Catholics know why the people of Nineveh listened to God’s Prophet:
“The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: ‘Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce to it the message that I will tell you.’
So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh, according to the LORD’s bidding. Now Nineveh was an enormously large city; it took three days to go through it.
Jonah began his journey through the city. He had gone but a single day’s walk announcing, ‘Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed’ when the people of Nineveh believed God. They proclaimed a fast; and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth.”
Even the King of Nineveh listened to Jonah and ordered fasting, sackcloth, and repentance.
Catholics understand why people listened to Jonah! Jonah had spent “three days in the belly of a huge fish”! Digestive juices had eaten away his skin. He was horrible to look at and obviously suffering great pain. The fact that he could still walk and talk about God’s Coming Judgment let them realize: “This is a messenger from God!”
The “Hidden Prophecy”? Catholics are fulfilled prophecies of the Ninevites blessed to listen to Jonah. We follow He Who also suffered in public view for having Spoken His One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church Into Being when saying His Church-Creating Word to His First Catholic Pope:
“And I say unto you thou art Peter and on this rock I build My Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I give you the keys to The Kingdom of Heaven.”
Catholics make the connection between Jonah and Jesus. Those who do not hide from the Words of God’s Suffering Prophets are blessed to Be Catholic.
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Today’s Simple Rhyme: “God’s True Believers / do not follow deceivers.”
