Listening to God’s Word and Turning Back to Him
Jonah 3:1-10; Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19; Luke 11:29-32
The story of Jonah and the people of Nineveh is a powerful reminder of what Lent is all about: turning back to God with sincere hearts. Jonah was sent to Nineveh with a simple but urgent message—repent, or face destruction. And amazingly, the people listened. From the greatest to the least, they humbled themselves, changed their ways, and turned back to God. They didn’t ask for more proof. They didn’t demand miracles. They simply heard God’s warning and responded.
This is exactly what Jesus is speaking about in today’s Gospel. He warns against a generation that is always looking for a sign, always wanting more proof before they believe. But then he points to Jonah as a sign, and he points to himself as something even greater. The people of Nineveh heard Jonah’s preaching and repented. The Queen of the South traveled a great distance to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Yet, in Jesus’ time, people had something far greater than Jonah, far greater than Solomon—God himself standing before them—and still, many refused to listen.
This raises an important question for us: Are we truly listening to Jesus? Not just on Sundays when we come to Mass, but every day? The Queen of the South made a long journey to hear Solomon, sacrificing time, energy, and wealth because she recognized the value of wisdom. But we have something far greater than Solomon right in front of us—the words of Jesus, freely available to us in Scripture. Do we take the time to hear them?
Sometimes, like the people in Jesus’ time, we want dramatic signs. We want clear answers, proof that God is at work. But Jesus tells us we don’t need to search for extraordinary signs. The greatest sign has already been given: Jesus himself, his life, his death, and his resurrection. If we truly listen to his words and let them shape our hearts, we will find all the wisdom and guidance we need.
The real challenge is not whether God is speaking, but whether we are listening. The people of Nineveh repented when they heard Jonah. They recognized God’s voice and changed their lives. Do we do the same when we hear the Gospel? Does it lead us to conversion, to a real change in how we live? Or do we just let it pass by, unchanged, waiting for something more?
Lent is our time to return to God, to listen deeply, and to let his Word transform us. If we truly open our hearts, we won’t need signs and wonders to know that God is at work. His presence is already with us, calling us, guiding us, and leading us to life.