The sign of Jonah

The people who have heard Jesus preach and who have seen His miracles continue to ask Him for a sign. Even if Jesus considers such request deplorable and absurd, He obliges them with yet another sign. He gives them “the sign of Jonah.” This reluctant prophet of the Old Testament had to spend three days in the belly of a great fish (cf Jon 2:1). Afterwards, when he found himself in Nineveh, he preached repentance for sins that led to the conversion of the entire city.

The “sign” that Jesus offers them is His own resurrection. Like Jonah, He has preached repentance for sins. Jesus will be plunged into the bowels of the earth and on the third day rise to eternal glory. Jesus thus calls on the Jews to repent as well, or else the Ninevites will condemn them on judgment day.

Jesus reminds the Jews about the great faith of the Queen of the South who traveled extensively to seek the wisdom of King Solomon. This queen never witnessed any miracle yet she listened to God’s word.

One big sign of God’s presence is every time a sinner turns away from sin and leads a new life.

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.”

SOURCE: “366 Days with the Lord 2020,” ST. PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: publishing@stpauls.ph; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.