By Praveen Bandula csc –
Readings: Gal 4: 22-24, 26-27, 31 – 5:1; Lk 11: 29-32
The natural tendency of a human person is to judge what we see and witness. Sometimes our eyes are closed to seeing the truth in what we look at or experience. By giving the example of people of Nineveh and the queen of the south, Jesus is inviting us to believe in his words. They believed from what they heard, but the people at the time of Jesus could not recognize Jesus even after
witnessing miracles. They wanted Jesus to perform signs as the prophets did in olden days.
Among the crowds some believed in him because of his teachings and the miracles he performed. But some were still skeptical about him because he was challenging and exposing their failures in doing their regular duties and service that they were supposed to render to people. Jesus wants to remind them that he is the Son of God, who is greater than the Jonah and King Solomon. The people of Nineveh could believe what they heard from Jonah without doubting and saved themselves from the wrath of God. How much could we go closer to God who first loved us and wants us to be with him?
The queen of the south could believe in what she heard about Solomon and travelled a long way to see for herself. How much more could we grow in faith in the Lord? What is required of us is faith that Jesus Christ is the true Messiah, the son of God. St. Paul says in first reading, if we accept him as our saviour then we no more belongs to the world of sin and slavery but are regarded as the children of promise.