Daily Reflection – 3/9/2022
Sacred Scripture
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.” (Luke 11:29-32)
Reflection
The Ninevites recognized God’s warning when Jonah spoke to them, and they repented. The Queen of Sheba recognized God’s wisdom in Solomon. Jonah was God’s sign and his message was the message of God for the people of Nineveh. Unfortunately, today’s Gospel tells us the religious leaders were not content to accept the signs right before their eyes. They had rejected the message of John the Baptist and now they reject Jesus as God’s Anointed One (Messiah) and they fail to heed his message.
Sometimes, we realize that the more things change, the more they are the same.
It happens to all of us . . . we look for signs from God. Sort of “Just give me a sign that you . . . “. That is a common human reaction. The problem is that too often we revert to that instead of reverting to our faith. Our faith is that Jesus Christ came to us, to protect us and to save us to eternal life. That is our faith.
If we believe that, if we inculcate that into our lives, then perhaps it’s time that we show signs to Him. And Lent is the opportune period to reflect on whether we are a sign of Jesus Christ to those around us.
Do we ever proclaim that faith to others? Do we ever take a stance against abuse of others, whether the abuse is subtle or overt? Does the language of our heart show that we love each other because we are ALL children of God? Does the language from our mouth speak of kindness and caring or does it speak of disparagement and diminishment? Do we use sarcasm, nit picking and criticism of others to tear down rather than build up? Do we take the teachings of our faith and pervert them to justify a personal viewpoint or perspective?
These and so many more are signs that we are not at peace with the teachings of Jesus Christ. These and so many more signs are telling us that we are not un unison with the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Jesus taught us that to inherit eternal life we must love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and strength. We have no one to blame for not doing that but ourselves. We must look within and consider what is blocking the light of Jesus from entering our eyes. Why is the power of Jesus’ death and resurrection not moving us to love the Lord and serve him? What is interfering with our focused commitment to following Jesus?
This Lent could be the only opportunity we have to make straight the crooked path. Why not use this time to not only truly accept the teachings of Jesus Christ into our lives. To accept them by living them.
Then you and I can be living signs to our generation that Christ is alive in us.
Prayer of The Day
“Lord, give me your wisdom and increase my love for your ways. Help me to resist temptation and live my life doing all that I can reflecting your love.”
Daily Note
Today it’s important for us to become a “good and holy generation” in contrast to the receptivity of those whom Jesus was calling out in today’s Gospel. We’re called not only to accept the signs of Jesus’ call to conversion, his wisdom and his death and resurrection, but to become so united to him that we become signs of Jesus’ death and resurrection, signs of his wisdom, signs of his summons to conversion in the midst of the world, signs of his love.
