Gospel Reading: Lk 11:29-32s
While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here. At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here.”
REFLECTION There is something greater
Some of us do not realize how lucky we are in many respects compared to other people. Yet, the irony often is, the more blessings we enjoy, the greater our tendency to be ungrateful and complacent. On the other hand, people who have very little in life are often more grateful and docile to God.
The Ninevites and the Queen of the South represent the supposedly less privileged compared to Israel who had a God who was so close and beneficent to them. But the people of Nineveh and the Queen proved more docile to the promptings of God as they heeded the call to repentance and sought Solomon’s wisdom more than greater treasures, respectively.
We are often like Israel – greatly blessed but highly complacent. May this be one reason why God allows us to go through suffering and deprivation?
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SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord,” ST PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.
