In the eyes of the Israelites, Nineveh was the most evil place in the world. It was the capital of the Assyrians, a cruel and aggressive people who had caused the people of the time much pain. God commanded Jonah to preach and prophesy to them, but he did not want the job. He ran the other way, and after many adventures, returned to complete his mission. He preached doom and destruction to Nineveh, probably with great glee. But the Ninevites did the unthinkable - they took his warning to heart and repented! Jonah was not pleased. We should never turn our backs or give up on anyone - there is always hope. No human life is beyond hope or redemption, and God is far more merciful and kind than we will ever be. Thank God for that!

Even though Martha and Mary were sisters, they had very different personalities. Martha was very active and energetic, while Mary was quieter and more introspective. Martha was a bit resentful of Mary's apparent unwillingness to help with the dinner preparations - she was taken up with listening to Jesus. The Lord encouraged Martha to relax a bit - Mary had every right to be a disciple and to learn. We can hope that he also encouraged Mary to give her sister a hand. The two personalities should not be played off against each other - we should be a balance of both qualities. The call is to be a contemplative in action.