REFLECTIONS TODAY
An anecdote tells of a group of women whose modus operandi revolves around pretending to be friends with the owner of the restaurant in order to make waiters cater to their whims. Once, they entered a restaurant and attempted to throw their weight around based on that pretense. They told the server, “We will tell you to the owner. Where is the owner, we want to speak with him.” The server replied, “I am the owner!” The owner quickly expelled the scheming women from the restaurant. Jesus refers to “this generation” (v 29) who do not recognize the presence of someone greater than Jonah and Solomon. This failure to recognize Jesus is akin to a Tagalog expression which is translated as “walking around with chicken manure on one’s head.” To be caught unaware of Jesus’ wisdom and power is a great embarrassment. It also constitutes an opportunity lost. That would be like stumbling on a treasure and completely ignoring it. Do we recognize the wisdom and power of Jesus? Have we taken advantage of his teachings as a means to improve our faith response to God?
First Reading • Gal 4:22-24, 26-27, 31—5:1
Brothers and sisters: It is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the freeborn woman. The son of the slave woman was born naturally, the son of the freeborn through a promise. Now this is an allegory. These women represent two covenants. One was from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; this is Hagar. But the Jerusalem above is freeborn, and she is our mother. For it is written: Rejoice, you barren one who bore no children; break forth and shout, you who were not in labor; for more numerous are the children of the deserted one than of her who has a husband. Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are children not of the slave woman but of the freeborn woman.
For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.
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 2024,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.