28th Monday in Ordinary Time

 

FRIENDS and SERVANTS of the WORD

October 16, 2017

28^th Monday of Ordinary Time

 

 

WORD of the DAY

While still more people gathered in the crowd, he 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.    (Luke 11: 29-32)

How shall I live this Word?

Today’s Gospel presents us Jesus in controversy with the men of his generation, whom he calls “evil,” because of their disbelief and continual febrile search for “more striking” and convincing signs than those offered to them by the Teacher of Nazareth.  But He refuses this claim and replies that “no sign will be given, except the sign of Jonah.” In Luke, unlike Matthew, the sign of Jonah is not the resurrection, but the preaching of Jesus, His Gospel, His Word.

The search for other signs by this incredulous generation was just an excuse to refute the Teacher’s pressing invitation to convert their heart. Jonah, in fact, came to Nineveh by resonating with God’s invitation to raise awareness of the imminent judgment and the last chance of conversion. Just like the proclamation of Jesus. But He is rejected, though He is greater than Jonah, while the Ninevites welcomed the Prophet’s word without asking for any other signs. Even the queen of the south came from afar to hear the word of Solomon, the king celebrated for his wisdom. Instead, “this evil generation” rejects Jesus who is wiser than Solomon.

At this point we ask: why does this generation reject the light? Guilt is certainly not from the light: light shines and enlightens everyone. The blame is on the eye of the soul that is blinded and immersed in darkness. John will repeat the same concept at the end of the dialog with Nicodemus:

“Light has come into the world, but men have loved the darkness more than the light, for their works were wicked” (John 3: 19).

This generation is also ours in the third millennium, all of us need to let ourselves always be enlightened by the Word of Jesus, without looking for other signs and words.

We meditate and pray this vibrant aspiration which blossomed from the heart of the holy Bishop of Milan, Ambrose.

The Voice of St. Ambrose of Milan

   Christ is everything for us. If you want to cure a wound, He is a doctor, if you’re feverish, He is the fountain; if you are oppressed by iniquity, He is justice: if you need help, He is power; if you fear death, He is life; if you desire heaven, He is the way; if you are fleeing the darkness, He is light; if you are looking for food, He is nourishment ” (Ambrose, De virginitate, 99)

___________________________________________________________________________