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Monday, 16 April 2012

Remember Jonah

Some time back I came across a video and shared in on my facebook page. The message was very clear - words were needed. What was to be said was written in black and white. What was unsaid was seen in the young man's eyes. Pain cannot be hidden from anyone. A cry for help - to stop hurting must not be ignored.

Jonah opened his heart in a way that has started a global movement, of other people sharing their inner most secrets and hurt. Love, support, friendship and healing is taking place by people who have never met each other in real life. The viewers who are watching the videos are also nurturing their healing need too.

Such a powerful impression Jonah has made to become a major influence in assisting healing in the world. 9,606,926 viewers and the numbers growing daily. JONAH is also a biblical name.



There is more to this story because Jonah has been chosen to open his heart in the Divine Plan. Not only are we meant to see this message, we are also meant to remember the lessons too. At some time everyone has been hurt by cruel words.

The saying 'sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me' - physically the hurt might never be seen visually, however those who can see can see, and those who know, have remembered their own personal experience.

Teshuva - the ability to repent and be forgiven by God - is a prominent idea in Jewish thought.

In trying to bring the right message to convey with regards to Jonah - already the video says it all. A young man is learning from experience the hard way. Jonah will always remember the cruel words. The far reaching effect by sharing his own pain yet might not yet be fully realised, or the impact he is having on the world.

After training extensively in the healing and helping profession, I was guided to set up a healing resource with self help tools and strategies on the internet. Between 2003 - 2009 this increased to 1100 registered members. People who were not members were writing with gratitude - recognising their healing need and finding the courage within to take the first step. The first step was writing so people could write too - as we see Jonah writing openly here.

The power of written word is powerful indeed. When we are sincere in our heart, we are being true to ourself and true to other people. When we are being true to other people, we give permission for other people to be true to theirself too. When we give value to the healing we can assist this process. When we pretend everything is perfect in our world, when it is not, we are also preventing other people from sharing their personal struggles, heartache and difficulty too. Society has become disconnected throught paying lip service. Families are divided because of lies that are told instead of uniting together in truth.

The bravest souls overcome tremendous challenges and pain.

Jonah is a significant name in Biblical times.

"Jonah, the son of truth, (The name of his father "Amitai" in Hebrew means truth,) refuses to ask the people of Nineveh to repent. He seeks the truth only, and no forgiveness. When forced to go, his call is heard loud and clear. The people of Nineveh repent ecstatically, "fasting, including the sheep". "

The book of Jonah (Yonah יונה) is one of the 12 minor prophets included in the Tanakh. According to tradition Jonah was the boy brought back to life by Elijah the prophet, and hence shares many of his characteristics (particularly his desire for 'strict judgment'). The book of Jonah is read every year, in its original Hebrew and in its entirety, on Yom Kippur - the Day of Atonement, as the Haftarah at the afternoon mincha prayer."

"In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus makes a reference to Jonah when he was asked for a miraculous sign by the Pharisees and teachers of the Law. Jesus implies that Jonah's restoration after three days inside the great whale prefigure's His own resurection.

But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
—Gospel of Matthew, chapter 12 verses 39-41"

Jonah in the present time in his own healing process is instrumental in influencing other people with their healing need too. Today countless children are so unhappy they feel suicidal and even following this through. Children do not want to burden their parents with their pain and unhappiness. Jonah took a risk and got support from millions of people....also the perpretratos of bullying were faced to realise the error of their ways.

Jonah in biblical times did not need to give a miraculous sign - All he had to do was to share his experience and people will know in their heart the truth.

The name Jonah means 'Dove'

Jonah was called to tell people of the city to repent - being passive in nature, he runs away to sea and boards a ship. God sends a storm from the heavens and the ships crew throw him overboard into the sea. He is swallowed by a whale and for three days and nights. Jonah prays and repents for his disobedience and asks God for His mercy. When God speaks to the fish (whale) it vomits and Jonah is exspelled onto dry land.


Jonah while learning his own lessons is instrumental in the divine plan at the time. We are reminded with the ressurrection of Jesus Christ after three days and three nights with this - a time that has not changed in the divine plan when God is delivering the lesson for understanding for people.

We do not know how we are called because our unique experience is for learning and for service. God demonstrates his mercy to the most rebellious people and yet can be harsh on those who are sensitive and seemingly weak. This is because we are meant to realise spiritual strength and learn our lessons. Jonah was one of the most effective of all prophets, because he turned the entire population of Nineveh (about 120,000 people) to God.


Water symbolises emotions. A a mass of water, as the ocean represents is the same. Often the force that moves us to reach out and do what we must do, is our feelings. Jonah in the video above is clearly overwhelmed and releaes his inner thoughts and feelings to the world. Jonah while in the great fish was overwelmed by what was facing him internally and externally in the world.

Whenever we face the most overwhelming situations and circumstances, we call out to prayer and yet how many people remember when their prayers are answered. People ask for their most heartfelt wants and then when this happens - how quickly they forget. The spiritually blind cannot see how God is calling out to people and yet they are not seeing what he is trying to show them. He is listening to Everyone. So many people forget there is an ever merciful and very Patient God who is the All Seeing and All Knowing of everything that is going on. He wants us to know Him!


In the video above, Jonah shares his story on the internet. Only a very hard heart would not be moved by his experience. There is a global healing need now and many millions of people are in the process of healing. It takes just one person to start the movement. An international network of people are assisting healing just by sharing their experience openly by the written word.

Faith is strengthened by personal experience and validation!

Peace, love and best wishes.
Pauline Maria

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Jonah

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