October 15, 2018

Gospel: Lk 11:29-32
As the crowd increased, Jesus spoke the following words: “People of the present time are troubled people. They ask for a sign, but no sign will be given to them except the sign of Jonah. As Jonah became a sign for the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be a sign for this generation. The Queen of the South will rise up on Judgment Day with the people of these times and accuse them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and here, there is greater than Solomon. The people of Nineveh will rise up on Judgment Day with the people of these times and accuse them, for Jonah’s preaching made them turn from their sins, and here, there is greater than Jonah.“

Reflections
They ask for a sign, but no sign will be given to them People are eager and curious to see signs and wonders from Jesus. They want proofs before any real commitment to following Jesus. Jesus refers them to the sign of Jonah. Jonah‘s being taken in the belly of a whale is a metaphor of inward journey, a necessary step to personal conversion. Jesus, like Jonah, is a call to repentance and radical conversion. And Jesus implies that many of his listeners are not ready or willing to hear that call. They want cheap grace and not arduous task of inner change. In fact, they don‘t need any signs; Jesus has been giving them an abundance of signs through his teaching and healing work. God doesn’t accept superficial adherence to him. If adherence to him rests on the need for signs of wonder and power, then one‘s faith is shallow. True faith requires conversion. Following Jesus is a radical change of mind and heart.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2018