Daily Gospel Reflection
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October 16, 2023
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.”
Reflection
Is it really evil to seek a sign? I frequently ask God for signs—signs that I am following the right path, approaching a family situation correctly, and reaching my students. Is Jesus really telling me to avoid seeking divine guidance?
Jesus’ words need to be put in context. After all, by the time Jesus uttered these words, he had fed five thousand people with five loaves and two fish, healed a paralytic, restored a man’s withered hand, and cast out demons. Signs of his divine nature, love, and mercy were abundant.
Somehow, however, the religious leaders of the time overlooked these. Jesus’ words and deeds did not align with their conceptions of what a savior would do, how a savior would act, and with whom a savior would associate. They had a specific idea of what a savior was and were looking for evidence that Jesus conformed to those expectations.
Like those leaders, I am sure that I frequently miss the signs God is sending me. Sometimes this is because I seek God to confirm that my will is his will. Other times, I don’t stop long enough to let God speak to me because I am so caught up in the meetings, teaching, carpooling, and coaching of the day. Or, if I have time, I let concerns—large and small—divert my focus.
I believe God will give us the grace to discern and do his will. Just a few verses before today’s gospel reading, Jesus tells us to ask, and it will be given to us, seek, and we shall find. But we have to be listening and seeking with stilled and open hearts and minds. After all, God may not come to us with wind and fire, but, as God did with Elijah, as “a gentle whisper.”
Prayer
Father of mercy and forgiveness, you are patient with our obstinate hearts. Stir us to be receptive to your Word, Jesus Christ, just as the Queen of Sheba sought the wisdom of Solomon and the Ninevites responded to the prophetic words of Jonah. May we hear your Word and keep it. Amen.
Saint of the Day

St. Hedwig was a strong mother and wife, and is honored for the faith that she brought to her husband and the people that they governed.
She was born in Bavaria in 1174, and was aunt to St. Elizabeth of Hungary. As a girl, she was placed in a monastery for her education, and when she was 12, she was given to marriage to a duke named Henry. Together, they had seven children.
When her husband succeeded his father, and gained the governance of his region, Hedwig encouraged him to establish a monastery of Cistercian nuns. Together, they founded more monasteries, which helped develop the faith among their people, and also preserved and enhanced their culture. Both Henry and Hedwig founded hospitals, which they took personal interest in.
As their children matured, they gave the couple much trouble. Several bickered bitterly over land rights, even battling one another. Hedwig tried to intervene, but eventually resigned herself and moved to one of the monasteries she had founded. There, she spent her time in the prayer and manual labor of the community, and was known for her austerities that helped her sharpen her will. For example, she would often travel to nearby villages for Mass without wearing shoes, in any kind of weather.
She assisted her husband, urging peace at every opportunity. He fought several major battles, and at one point, Hedwig had to ransom him when he was captured. When Henry died, she permanently joined one of her convents that was led by her daughter, and gave away all of her possessions to the poor.
Even when she was alive, St. Hedwig was given the gift of miracles, and she healed a nun who was blind by making the sign of the cross upon her. Several other miraculous cures are attributed to her. She died on this date in 1243, and is patron saint of brides. Her relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica.
St. Hedwig, you are the patron saint of brides who gave away all of your possessions to the poor—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Hedwig is used with permission from Catholic Online. Last accessed October 3, 2024.