Homily of Monday of the 28th week in ordinary time
Galatians 4:22-24,26-27,31-5:1, Luke 11:29-32
The crowd that was following Jesus, were demanding signs from him. They needed him to perform some wonders to demonstrate that he was the Messiah. However, before Jesus came, there were men who have come, claiming to be the Messiah with the promises of one wonder work or the other, but they perished. Hence, the crowd needed Jesus to show them signs to prove his Messianic identity, forgetting that he was the greatest sign they can see. They didn’t see him as God-made-man for us.
And the Lord rebuked them and said,
“This is a wicked generation; it is asking for a sign. The only sign it will be given is the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. On Judgement Day, the Queen of the South will rise up with the men of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon” [Ref: Luke 11:29-32]
However, when Jonah delivered God’s message to the people of Nineveh, they repented. They didn’t bother to ask him for signs. When the queen of Sheba heard of the wisdom of Solomon, she travelled a long distance to listen to him.
These days, we only run after men and women who present themselves as men and women of God. They confuse us with signs and wonders and scary prophecies or visions, thereby installing themselves as our life compass. We only need to open our eyes and know that Jesus is nearer to us than we think.
We have the Word of God, the Bible. We can study it, guided by the Holy Spirit. God is very close to us. We only need to acknowledge his presence. In the Holy Eucharist, he makes himself present to us. With faith, we can recognise and adore him.
May we always walk with the Lord. May we recognise him all the days of our lives. Amen.
