Monday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time

In today’s Gospel passage from St. Matthew, Jesus mentions two prominent figures from Judaism’s past: the wise king Solomon and the reluctant prophet Jonah.  Jesus goes on to speak of Himself as greater than both Jonah and Solomon. Jesus not only speaks God’s word, but He is also the Word of God; Jesus is not only a wise king, but He is also the Wisdom of God. Yet, despite His true identity, many of Jesus’ contemporaries did not appreciate Him; they want some amazing sign before they will take Him seriously.

What Jesus says to them He says to us as well: “There is something greater than Jonah here; something greater than Solomon here,” (here in this place, wherever we happen to be). Someone more wonderful than all the prophets and wise men of Israel put together is standing among us, is present to us, present within us.  Jesus is not only greater than Jonah and Solomon; He is greater than anything that might seem to come between Him and us.  As Saint Paul says, “Nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”+