Daily Gospel Reflection for October 12, 2020

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Reflection by Meggie K. Daly

Today's Gospel: Luke 11:29-32

In Luke’s Gospel reading for today, Jesus speaks out against the evil and hard-heartedness of His generation. If Jesus were here with us today, He would likely say the same thing about our generation. And, sadly, Jesus could have been addressing me directly, stuck in my stubbornness and unbelief, some twenty years ago.

No matter what miracles Jesus performed, his contemporaries always want more. Just one more sign, and then they would believe in Him. Yet Jesus only promised the sign of Jonah to them. Did that work for the Jews in Our Lord’s time? For some, yes, for many, no – rather like our generation.

Jonah was dead in the belly of the whale: "From the womb of Sheol I cried for help, and you heard my voice.” (NAB: Jon 2:3). To a first-century Jew, Sheol was the realm of the dead. Jesus tells His detractors that the ultimate sign will be His resurrection from the dead which was yet to happen. It’s not clear those present connected Jonah’s “resurrection” to Jesus prophesy of His resurrection. Did His listeners connect the dots? We can’t tell.

Have you ever pondered how blessed we are to be on this side of the Cross? We can look back on all of Scripture and the life of Christ with the wisdom of centuries of believers who have connected the dots for us.

We do have to take that first life-changing step to say “I believe.” How many of our generation want more from God to purchase their belief – a miracle, good health, financial security, painless love, or a world without suffering?

Praise God for the gift the Faith, and let’s never forget to pray for those who are still struggling for that first glimmer of faith.

Ponder:

Have you ever pondered how blessed you are to be on this side of the Cross?

Pray:

Jesus, remedy my shortcomings of faith. Shower Your merciful graces on those who have yet to receive the gift of faith.

Have you ever pondered how blessed you are to be on this side of the Cross? #dailygospel

Copyright 2020 Meggie K. Daly

Meggie K. Daly, a retired research scientist, is the author of Bead by Bead: The Scriptural Rosary. She is the mother of six adult children and six grandchildren. Meggie occasionally blogs at meggieKdaly.blogspot.com and is working on her second book, in between providing daycare for her young grandchildren.