“The world is full of men who want to be right, when actually the secret of a man's strength and his pathway to true honor is his ability to admit fault when he has failed. God wants to fill the church with men who can say they are wrong when THEY ARE WRONG.”

“The man who is not afraid to admit everything that he sees to be wrong with himself, and yet recognizes that he may be the object of God's love, can begin to be sincere. His sincerity is based on confidence, not in his own illusions about himself, but in the endless, unfailing mercy of God.” ― Thomas Merton: (1915 – 1968: was an American Catholic writer, theologian. In 1949, he was ordained to the priesthood and given the name Father Louis)

Gospel Text: (LK 11:29-32)

While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them,
"This generation is an evil generation;
it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,
except the sign of Jonah.
Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites,
so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
At the judgment
the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation
and she will condemn them,
because she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon,
and there is something greater than Solomon here.
At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation
and condemn it,
because at the preaching of Jonah they repented,
and there is something greater than Jonah here."

A soap manufacturer, and a pastor were walking together down a street in a large city. The soap manufacturer casually said, "The gospel you preach hasn't done much good, has it? Just observe. There is still a lot of wickedness in the world, and a lot of wicked people, too!" The pastor made no reply, until, they passed a little child with dirty linen, making mud pies in the gutter. Seizing the opportunity, the pastor said, "I see, that, soap hasn't done much good in the world either; for, there is much dirt still here, and many people with dirty linen are still around." The soap manufacturer said, "Oh, well, soap only works when it is applied." Then the pastor said, "Exactly! So it is with the gospel."

In the Gospel reading Jesus rebukes so many people who refused to listen to the Good News, who, despite all his wonderful cures and miracles, still demanded signs from him.

The people had hardened hearts, were blind and deaf to his ministry.

What signs do we see of God's Good News today? May our eyes, ears and hearts see, hear and read these signs.