Luke 11:29-32

Romans 1:1-7

Psalm 98:1bcde, 2-3ab, 3cd-4

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.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, thank you for the preaching of your Son and the wisdom he has brought us from you. I want to sit at the feet of your Son like Mary and hear his voice. Allow me to be cut to the heart and repent from any and all evil.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The New Jonah and the New Solomon: Last week, we read from the Book of Jonah in our First Reading. Jonah, we learned, was a reluctant prophet who was called to preach repentance to the Assyrians, the enemies of Israel. Jonah fled his call and ended up in the belly of a great fish for three days and three nights. He was restored to life on the third day, preached in the Assyrian capital city of Nineveh, and the entire city repented of their sin. Solomon also preached to the Gentiles. He received the Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10) and answered all her questions. At the end of the visit, the queen praised the Lord. In their ministry to the Gentiles, Jonah and Solomon both prefigure Jesus, who sent the gospel out to all nations. Jesus’s wisdom surpasses that of Solomon. And the gift of wisdom, poured into our hearts by Jesus, is greater than any gift Solomon gave. As well, Jesus’s call to repentance surpasses that of Jonah. It is God who moves the heart to repent. Jesus not only moves the human heart, but also forgives the sins we have committed, and restores us to new life.

2. The Letter to the Romans: During the next four weeks, the First Reading will be taken from one of Paul’s most important letters – the Letter to the Romans. It is Paul’s longest letter. “In it he expounds his gospel of God’s grace for sinners of every race and clarifies his teaching about the Mosaic law and the life of freedom and righteousness in the Holy Spirit. Here we see the Apostle, after years of work, looking toward a new stage in his ministry: he hopes this letter will gain him a warm reception in Rome and that, when he visits, the Romans will support him on an ambitious journey to Spain” (Prothro, The Apostle Paul and His Letters, 71). The first part of the letter (Romans 1:18-5:11) develops Paul’s gospel of salvation for both Jew and Gentile. Both groups have sinned, and both groups are saved through faith in Jesus Christ. Part Two of the letter (Romans 5:12-8:39) deals with how Adam’s sin brought both sin and death to all humanity and how Christ’s righteous obedience has won justification and new life for us. Part Three of the letter (Romans 9:1-11:36) is considered the most difficult. It deals with the thorny question of the fate of the Israelites who have not embraced Jesus as the Christ. Paul believes that only a part of Israel has been temporarily hardened until the salvation of the Gentiles is complete (Romans 11:25-27). The fourth and final part of the letter teaches the Christian community how they are to live together by God’s mercy in Christ (see Romans 12:1-15:33).

3. The Apostle to the Gentiles: In the opening paragraph of his letter, Paul greets the beloved members of the Church in Rome and presents himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ. Paul affirms in this greeting that he has been given the apostolic authority to evangelize the Gentiles. He understands himself as a servant or slave of Jesus Christ. He does not use this term to suggest that his submission to Christ is degrading or inhuman. “The point is that Paul has made his entire life a gift to Christ and has placed all of his talents and energies at the service of the mission assigned to him” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, 1993). Paul also understands himself as an apostle. He was not one of the original twelve apostles, but was called by Jesus. An apostle acts as an ambassador, an emissary, and a messenger. In the ancient world, a king wouldn’t be able to physically visit every place in their kingdom on their own, so they would send an apostle to go to a place in his kingdom and speak, and even have royal authority that they could exercise in the king’s name. An apostle would guide the people and keep them loyal to the king. An apostle would also bring good things from the king to the people. The Apostles were sent by the risen Jesus to all the nations to spread the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:1; Galatians 1:1). And so, as an apostle, Paul has been deputized by the Lord to speak and act in his name. Paul’s authority comes from Jesus. It is Paul’s task to instruct the people and share the graces and goods that come to us through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Paul concludes his greeting, wishing the Church in Rome both “grace” (a term used by the Greeks or Gentiles) and “peace” (a term used by the Jews).

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you fulfilled the story of Jonah in a truly marvelous way. Jonah was restored to earthly life. You were resurrected, body and soul, to heavenly glory. Jonah’s preaching made one city repent. You have merited forgiveness and have brought repentance to the entire world!

Living the Word of God: As I read through the Letter of Paul to the Romans, do I truly appreciate the newness of life I have received in Christ Jesus? Do I feel empowered by divine grace to do merciful works of charity and, in this way, transform my business?