For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures… (1 Corinthians 15:4).

Jonah spent three days and three nights in the fish.

I wonder if the prophet knew he was, himself, a prophecy.

I wonder if he knew, as he lay in stomach juice and partially digested fish bits, that he was a shadow of the One to come.

I’ve always liked Jonah. He’s so human, so imperfect. The fact that God would use him to save the people of Nineveh–even after his rebellion–gives me a measure of hope that I might someday prove useful. The fact that God would use Jonah to prefigure his beloved Son, well, that’s another example of how God is just so much better at this than I would be. I would have flushed Jonah, and the world would have missed out on this reflection of God’s love and salvation.

Let’s just call that reason #4970 to be glad that God is God, and I am just Michael.

Happy Thursday, Beloved