Daily Lenten Reflection from the Dominican Family Offered by the Dominican Province of St. Martin de Porres WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2014 By: Rev. Br. Cristobal Torres, O.P. St. Louis, MO Todays Gospel reading has Jesus issue a stern warning to his generation: He claims that though they are looking for a sign, no sign will be given [them], except the sign of Jonah. The crowd hearing him must have been further puzzled - and likely shocked - when Jesus went on to describe himself as the very sign they were seeking; one sent to call humanity to conversion, just as Jonah had done for the people of Nineveh many generations prior. Jesus rebuke to his contemporaries is that in contrast with the Ninevites who heeded the sign God had sent them in Jonah, many who saw and knew Jesus deeds and heard his proclamation of the reign of God firsthand, did not heed Jesus call to turn their hearts, minds and efforts toward God and the building up of Gods reign of love and justice. This and every Lent, we are faced with the same challenge: Through the Churchs communal and cyclical recollection of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit plants in our hearts and minds Christs call to repentance and renewal, so that increasingly liberated from our enslavement to self, we might become freer to take part in making Gods reign present in our midst. As we again hear the call of Jesus through the preaching, signs and symbols of the Church, will we allow false comfort or complacency to win the day? Or will we, like the Ninevites and like our ancestors in the faith who said yes to Jesus before us, become prophets and co-builders with him of that reign of justice and compassion that alone satisfies humanitys deepest hungers, and that only God can unfailingly establish and empower us to fulfill. -- opsouth.org/lenten-reflection-by-friar-cristobal-torres-o-p/
Posted on: Wed, 12 Mar 2014 14:29:23 +0000
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