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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.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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A group of Christians were imprisoned during the French Revolution in a darkened dungeon.
For a brief moment each day, the sun rose to a certain angle, allowing a ray of light to penetrate their cell. As the light came in, one of the prisoners was hoisted onto another’s shoulders, where he opened his bible and proclaimed what he read.
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I wonder what verses they heard. Here are a few possibilities:
“For I know well the plans I have for you, says the Lord.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
“Come to me all you who are heavy burdened and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
“Whoever hears my word and believes in him who sent me has eternal life.” (John 5:24)
“This is my Body…this is my Blood…do this in memory of me.” (Luke 22:19)
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At the darkest moment of their lives, these Christians turned to the Word of God for strength, and believed.
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In today’s Gospel, Jesus condemns the scribes and Pharisees for their hardened hearts. They’ve seen him heal people and cast out demons; they’ve heard him preach. Yet his Word is not enough for them. They’re stuck in the prison of unbelief, demanding more “signs.”
“But no [other] sign will be given it, except Jonah the prophet,” he says. Meaning, they should repent and believe like their ancestors.
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At times we’re all tempted to want more proof that God is real. But the words he speaks in the Gospels, along with the countless prayers he’s already answered, should be enough to assure us that God is alive … and in touch.
Like those Christians huddled in a dungeon during the French Revolution, may we hear the Word of God and receive it for what it is: “A lamp for our feet, a light for our path” (Psalm 119).
This Lent, repent and believe in the Gospel.
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Image credits: (1) Soaking in God’s Word (2) China Institute (3) Bible Hub