Jonah at Nineveh
Greetings on this the Monday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Readings: Exodus 14:5-18; Exodus 15:1bc-2, 3-4, 5-6; Matthew 12:38-42
Summary
There is something greater than Jonah here. There is something greater than Solomon here. (MT 12:41b, 42B).
Reflection
- Jesus made comparisons between PLACES.
- Jesus makes comparisons between PEOPLE.
The cities of Tyre, Sidon where some listened to the Lord and in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah would have listened to the Lord had they been visited the way we are today.
The people who heard Jonah listened and the people of the south listened to Solomon and will stand in judgement of us who have been visited the way we are.
Jonah was a reluctant Prophet and Solomon was the wisest man in the world. It was enough for the people of Nineveh and the People of the South. Jesus is something more.
If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts (PS 95:8).
The Egyptians are the example of those who are obstinate can come to a very deadly outcome.
So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea returned to its normal flow. The Egyptians were fleeing head on toward it when the LORD cast the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. As the water flowed back, it covered the chariots and the horsemen. Of all Pharaoh’s army which had followed the Israelites into the sea, not even one escaped (Ex 14:27-28).
Personal Reflection
Here’s the deal, potato peel. When we reduce the faith to moralism or intellectualism we lose the very heart of faith. Jesus is something greater. His very personhood brings us out of our stubbornness and into the divine presence. If we fail to go beyond, we will be chastised by Tyre, Sidon, Sodom, Gomorrah, Jonah, Nineveh, the people of the South, heck even the Pharaoh and the Egyptian army will judge us fools. That’s a long list of people! Each with a different vector to the question.
Sacred Readings Full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/072125.cfm
Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry