Monday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time
“There is something greater than Solomon … something greater than Jonah here.” Solomon, Jonah. What would that better thing be? There comes a time when someone has an important message to give and they speak with greater urgency. Jesus is Lord and He was offering the message of the good news, the coming of God’s reign, and the salvation offered for souls.
Paul, who was writing to the Church in Rome, called the Roman Christians “beloved.” Paul offered the same eschatological message, prepare for the Lord’s coming. In this day of Social Media and never-ending bombardments of bad news and warnings, you cannot blame someone for getting tired of more and more news coming at them from every angle. The beautiful thing about the Gospel is that it is always relevant and always rewarding. And the Church is always alive, living out the Gospel in her holy Sacraments and constantly giving witness to Christ, seeing God’s love lived out in the face of suffering and iniquity.
John Paul II taught beautifully that the Church is certain in the Gospel message and that “the redemption wrought on the cross restores man’s dignity and gives meaning back to life…” We know how good life is when we remember that the Gospel and the Church never lose meaning and proclaim Jesus’ love and salvation in every time and in every place.
Lesson: We must always keep vigil. We cannot let go of the knowledge that Christ is coming again. It may not be today or tomorrow or the next day. We do know that Christ will come. Always keep vigil. Always keep that expectation, and always keep to the joyful hope that we will see Christ in person one day, and we will know “something greater” as someone who can give us new life and make all things new. Amen.
Reflection by Br. Matthew Marie, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections