PRI Reflections on Scripture | Monday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time

Join Msgr. Don Fischer as he reads and delivers a short reflection on today’s gospel, followed by 3 1/2 minutes of contemplative music and a closing prayer. Msgr. Don hopes that today’s reflection on the gospel will empower you to carry the Word in your heart throughout the day.

Choose either the video or audio below.

Gospel

Luke 11:29-32

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

Jesus has no hesitation to try to expose the Pharisees, the scribes, for their lack of openness to who he was and what he's calling us to. In this particular reading, it seems to me that the generation that is always asking for signs, ‘show us a miracle, show us something spectacular’. Didn't understand that Jesus was not here primarily to prove that he was God, but that he was here for conversion.

He wanted people to understand a new way of seeing things.

The Ninevites, the Queen of Sheba, they were Gentiles, and the Gentiles were more open to who God is, who God sought to make people understand him than any of the Pharisees or the Israelites.

Closing Prayer

Father, you have a calling. You want us to understand who we are and who you are. You want us to be changed. That's the work of Jesus, to come and convert us from a world that we were caught in, to the world that we were made for. Bless us in this work of conversion. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Kyle Cross