The sign of Jonah for the Ninevite’s.

You may still remember, because the media presented it repeatedly. On January 20, 2025, the inauguration ceremony of the U.S. president was held. Mariann Budde, Bishop of Washington, gave the speech at this ceremony. She sat in the front row with Melania, his wife, and his entourage. A camera shot showed a tiny woman in an ambulance. The second captures President Trump’s disdainful, grumpy, and icy-cold demeanour and manner of speaking. At the same time, Bishop Budde refers to “mercy “as a fundamental concept of the Christian faith in a sermon. 

An ancient term that shines even brighter now than it did long ago because it alludes to heart sensitivity. Bishop Budde says, “In the name of God, I am asking you for mercy for the people of our country who are now afraid. And then he calls them by name: people who work in industry or wipe tables in restaurants after U.S. citizens have eaten there. Or they are after night shifts in hospitals or cleaning offices. Now they fear having to leave the country or be separated from their children because they don’t have a passport… Almost two months after taking office, there is no evidence that Trump or his people have listened to Mariann Budde—quite the opposite. 

But millions of people in the United States and around the world have listened. And now it’s up to all of us more than ever to stick together, not let ourselves be divided, keep what is good, and live this message – each of us in our place: Dare to be more merciful! Jesus tried not only to talk about making them more merciful for the top elite of the Jewish people, just as mercy itself showed him. They constantly provoked and came with many reservations. 

Meanwhile, they asked for a sign: When the crowds gathered, Jesus began to say: “This generation is an evil generation. He asks for a sign, but he does not receive a sign, unless the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevite’s, so will the Son of Man be to this generation “. 

The story of Jonah is full of wit and humour. However, Jonah himself has nothing to laugh about. It can be doubted whether Jonah ever had a good laugh at himself. He took everything too seriously, especially himself. He was convinced of the truth of his message: the evil city of Nineveh would perish.

Furthermore, he would like to be a true prophet, someone people would one day say predicted the city’s destruction. Ideal conditions for a great prophetic drama with a magnificent actor in the leading role. But it is a big “Ale”: if Nineveh were not finally destroyed, then Jonah would be a false prophet. Then he would announce something that didn’t happen. And who would be to blame for the entire development? Jonah fears that God might reconsider destroying Nineveh at the end. If so, Jonáš would look pretty stupid. Therefore, he does not want to accept this assignment. 

Because he knows the Divine Trade: Nineveh may not even perish! When you push, God is always merciful, loving, and understanding toward people. So it is clear to Jonah: he wants nothing to do with it, absolutely nothing. That is why he flees from God. He’s so crazy, and he wanted to do it with a boat going in the opposite direction and endangering the lives of his fellow passengers. Something like this can’t end well! And it doesn’t go well, either. But at least it ends well with Jonah miraculously surviving. If the sign is Jonah, then the path of God’s salvation reveals the possibility of redemption for the whole world. Then it is as relevant today as it was then. Because we, as God’s children, are part of this sign. If I accept God’s invitation to become merciful to my fellow man like him, then the story of Jonah still has a happy ending. Let each of us ask in our place: Dare to be more merciful! According to Jesus!