Jonah, Whose Name Means Dove

written by Reuben Kendall

Antiphonal call and response. Call in plain font, congregational response in italics. 

Tone: teasing, playful, musical, urgent, caring, probing, tender. 

Jonah, whose name means dove, 

why are you sitting heart-sick at the sight of forgiveness, 

braver to face death than mercy?  

Oh Jonah! So stained with pain that you can only rage 

against the grace of a Maker who saves, 

resentful until wrath ruins the repentant with the wicked! 

Jonah, whose name means dove, 

why do you run from redemption?  

why are you gutted like a maggot-eaten vine, 

hollowed out from within by resentment? 

Oh Jonah! Bloodthirsty little bird!  

You slept so fearlessly deep in the raging storm! 

Why does your heart fail now to see mercy outpoured? 

Does your Savior’s undiscriminating grace betray you? 

Jonah, whose name means dove, 

curled in on yourself, craving an end, 

you love justice only when it closes the book, 

only when it makes no room for new beginnings;  

Oh Jonah, you run from God’s love for the wicked as if chased!   

Why do you hate the Maker’s care for witless beasts, 

for the deep sea monsters hidden from the sky, 

for the worm that chews the green and growing vine? 

The Love that found them follows you; you cannot hide!  

Jonah, little dove, why do you sit so far away from grace? 

Why say that you wait for fire to fall from heaven  

when you knew God would not send it! 

Bitter little liar! Quick-fleeing flier! 

Are you truly so afraid of being caught 

among the undeserving when they are all forgiven? 

Oh, Jonah, draw near to Nineveh; 

fire is not raining from the sky, only forgiveness, 

and God has not forgotten your pain: 

be brave, Jonah; face mercy; 

it is for you, too; 

it is for you; 

sweet beloved bitter little dove, it is for you.