Readings for the Day:
Original Manuscript:
Today’s passage from the Gospel according to Luke mentions two things that are worth looking at more closely.
The sign of Jonah is simply Jonah’s presence to the Ninevites. Jonah didn’t perform any miracles or the like during his time in Nineveh. He merely relayed God’s message, and miraculously the Ninevites repented and turned to the Lord.
The Queen of the South, also known as the Queen of Sheba, was a respected monarch in the ancient world who visited Solomon to test his wisdom.
In recalling these two stories, Jesus is pointing out that just by hearing Jonah, Nineveh repented and just by seeing Solomon, the Queen of Sheba recognized his wisdom. How much more should the people respond to having Jesus, the Son of God, in their midst?
Unfortunately, many did not listen to Jesus. Many don’t listen to Him still. This can be a comfort when others don’t listen to us. Yet all we can do is continue to do our best to listen and marvel that anyone would turn a deaf ear to one as great as our Lord.