A Prayer to Jonah’s God

Forgive us, O Lord God of the Hebrews,
for feeding Jonah to a large-mouthed whale.
We sacrificed for You more than he did.
He hid in the hull, snoozing like a babe.

We prayed to Hercules of ancient days,
whose double pillars, emerald and gold,
always guide us off the coast near Cadiz.
But our gods will not chase after a fool.

Please let us not drown for throwing Jonah
into the open gullet of this beast,
and may it vomit him obediently
near Nineveh or wherever You wish.

—Karen D’Anselmi

Next
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

Andrea Grillo and the End of His Usefulness

Joseph Shaw

No one with any knowledge of Roman universities would be the least surprised to hear that Sant’Anselmo,…

Work Is for the Worker

Ricky McRoskey

In these early days of his pontificate, Pope Leo XIV has made one thing clear: The responsible…

Tunnel Vision

Philip Jenkins

Alice Roberts is a familiar face in British media. A skilled archaeologist, she has for years hosted…