Monday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 467
Reading 1
Galatians 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.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 113:1B-2, 3-4, 5A AND 6-7
R. (see 2) Blessed be the name of the Lord forever.
or:
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Praise, you servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD.
Blessed be the name of the LORD
both now and forever.
R. Blessed be the name of the Lord forever.
or:
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
From the rising to the setting of the sun
is the name of the LORD to be praised.
High above all nations is the LORD;
above the heavens is his glory.
R. Blessed be the name of the Lord forever.
or:
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Who is like the LORD, our God,
who looks upon the heavens and the earth below?
He raises up the lowly from the dust;
from the dunghill he lifts up the poor.
R. Blessed be the name of the Lord forever.
or:
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Alleluia
Psalm 95:8
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
If today you hear his voice,
harden not your hearts.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
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.”
Reflection 1
Catholic Daily Reflections
A Sign From God
“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.” Luke 11:29–30
Do you ever find yourself looking for signs from God? Often when we go through life, navigating through the ups and downs we all experience, we can easily find ourselves looking for signs from God about what we should do about this or that. And though God certainly communicates to us at times through special graces that are signs from Heaven, the passage above gives clarity to what sign we must be most attentive to.
The simple message in this Gospel passage from our Lord is that we must discover the meaning of the most profound sign ever given and use that as the foundation of all our decisions in life. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection were not only the source of eternal life, they are also the clearest sign we need as we make all of our decisions in life.
A sign is some action that reveals a deep and hidden mystery. One mystery that Jesus’ life, death and resurrection reveals is that if we are to share in the new life won for us by His Cross, then we must follow the example He set by living a life of selfless sacrifice, laying down our lives for others, so that they will discover and embrace the new life of Christ’s Resurrection. Practically speaking, if you find yourself looking for answers in life, seeking signs from God about what you should do at times, then turn your eyes to the life of Christ and ponder ways in which you can more fully imitate His life in every daily practical decision you make. This is true whether you are discerning some important decision in life or some small practical decision.
It is common to engage in such a discernment by looking at ourselves in a more selfish way. It’s difficult to move away from this line of thinking, but if we are to use the “sign” of the Son of Man, then we will discern our life decisions very differently. When we use the life, death and resurrection of our Lord as the source of our discernment and decision making in life, then we will end up making decisions that imitate His selfless sacrifice of love. So if you are faced with a decision, you will not ponder what is easier or what you prefer; rather, you will ponder what is more selfless and best for others. What is it that best imitates the sacrificial love of Jesus?
Reflect, today, upon any decision you are trying to make. Then reflect upon how you are going about this decision. Do you use the witness Jesus gave to us as the foundation of your discernment? Do you reflect upon how you can lay your life down as a sacrificial gift for others? Do you look at love from the point of view of the Cross of our Lord and strive to imitate His glorious and selfless dedication to the salvation of those whom He loves? Seek to imitate our Lord, using the witness of His actions as the foundation of all of your discernment and decisions in life, and you will have discovered the only true sign you need to navigate the challenges of life.
Reflection 2
One Bread, One Body
THE SIGN IS THE LENGTH OF THE LINE
“This is an evil age. It seeks a sign. But no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” —Luke 11:29
To the Pharisees who wanted a dazzling, miraculous sign, Jesus offered the sign of Jonah (Lk 11:29). What was the sign of Jonah? It was a sign of the Resurrection of Jesus. Jonah was buried in the water in the belly of a large fish, and was delivered safely to land on the third day (Jon 2:1, 11). The sign of Jonah was also the sign of repentance. The entire population of the wicked city of Nineveh, 120,000 people, repented upon hearing the prophetic word of Jonah (Jon 3:4ff).
One of the greatest signs of God’s saving action is a repentant heart. To see 120,000 repentant hearts was a phenomenal sign that was difficult to miss. In Jesus’ time, tax collectors and prostitutes, the most public of sinners, were repenting and turning to the Lord. Nonetheless, the Pharisees missed this sign, even when Jesus pointed it out to them (Mt 21:31).
Perhaps many do not notice the Lord working in the present time because they don’t see people repenting of their sins and changing their lives. If repentant sinners are the sign that could bring people to God (see Lk 15:7), then let’s repent and get in line for Confession. Lengthen the line for Confession by repenting of your sins and inviting others to Confession. Be a sign. “Be earnest about it, therefore. Repent!” (Rv 3:19)
Prayer: Father, create in me a clean heart (Ps 51:12) so that I might be a life-long minister of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:18).
Promise: It was for liberty that Christ freed us. So stand firm, and do not take on yourselves the yoke of slavery a second time!” —Gal 5:1
Praise: Pope St. Callistus I was a humble slave. God exalted him (Mt 23:12) and he eventually ascended to the office of Pope. As Pope, Callistus exalted Jesus and vigorously defended His divinity.
Reflection 3
Shared from God's Word
Human beings are quick to believe in what they see rather than what they hear. People of Jesus’ time were asking for a sign that he came from God. Jesus refers to the Prophet Jonah and King Solomon. Both of them had become signs for the people of their time. Jonah was a sign of repentance. He changed his mind after his experience in the belly of the fish. He could preach repentance to the people of Nineveh and they too changed their ways. King Solomon was a powerful sign of God’s wisdom, so much so that the queen of the South had to come to listen him. Jesus tells his listeners that he is wisdom personified. What other sign do we need than Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection?
Prayers
My perfect Lord, every decision You made in life was made out of love and was in accord with the perfect will of the Father. Give me the grace I need to make every decision in life in imitation of Your perfect example. May my life imitate You as You laid down Your life for others. I choose You and Your glorious sacrificial life as the sign by which I am directed in life. Jesus, I trust in You.
Lord Jesus, give me a heart that loves what is good and in accord with your will and fill me with your wisdom that I my understand your ways. Give me the grace and the courage to reject whatever is evil and contrary to your will.
Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy
Reflection 287: The Cloak of Ignominy
“Ignominy” could mean public shame, disgrace, humiliation and embarrassment. But it takes on special meaning when applied to Jesus. The “cloak of ignominy” refers to the public humiliation that Jesus endured as a result of His Cross. He was condemned as a sinner and liar. He was charged with deceiving the people and attempting to undermine the civil authorities. He was the object of extreme hate and ultimate persecution by the religious leaders of His day. This was a brutal blow. If Jesus would have had the sin of pride He would clearly not have been able to endure their scorn and mistreatment. He would have brought forth a myriad of angels to destroy His persecutors. But He didn’t. Instead, He endured every humiliation with confidence and integrity. The sufferings Jesus endured never evoked in Him even a single feeling of hatred or revenge. In fact, from the Cross itself He cried out, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” This powerful witness must influence you and strengthen you to pay no attention whatsoever to the false judgment of others. God has no concern about false judgments and the public humiliation that these judgments impose. Embracing the “cloak of ignominy” means you ultimately allow every worldly humiliation to dissipate before the Mercy and truth of God (See Diary 1418).
Reflect upon this struggle within you. It requires great humility to ignore false opinions. Seek to embrace that humility and allow the truth to make you free. Jesus’ “cloak” must cover you since it is ultimately a cloak of His grace and Mercy.
Lord, I take upon myself Your cloak of ignominy. I wear it with confidence and trust. Help my only care to be Your truth and to shed all other opinions that are contrary. My happiness rests in You alone, dear Lord, and all my hope is in You. Jesus, I trust in You.
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