Something Greater than Solomon

Something greater than Solomon is here… Something greater than Jonah is here.” Lk 11: 31,32

 

  Solomon was a man great wisdom. The Queen from the South took much trouble to come and listen to the wisdom of Solomon. Jonah had great power of persuasion and he preached destruction if people don’t repent, “ In forty days Nineveh will be destroyed.”

Jesus seem to have  a very positive attitude to himself. He considers his wisdom far greater than that of Solomon and  his preaching greater than Jonah. Is it a vain boast? In what way is Jesus greater? He was born in a crib. Died on a Cross. He had fishermen for followers. He had no home of his own.  No army or servants or a palace as Solomon had.  His friends betrayed him and he died all alone and was buried in a borrowed grave. He had nothing usually associated with greatness . Yet he claims to be greater than Jonah and Solomon .In what way is he greater to Solomon and Jonah?

 St Paul writing to the Corinthians says, “Christ crucified is a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the gentiles but to those who are being saved, he is  the power and wisdom of God” 1 Cor  1.24.   The Cross is the wisdom and power of God,  says St Paul.  

  Jesus used the word ‘greater’ again when he spoke about his death. “There is no greater love than this…that a man  lay down his life for his friends. ” For Jesus,  greatness is not in wealth, sword, or army. His greatness is in his compassion, humility, forgiveness, and love. The Cross is the sign of his greatness. “There is something greater than Jonah here”

 Jonah preached and may have run away from Nineveh so that he may not be caught up in the destruction. Jesus does not run away. Jesus preached forgiveness and love and received the punishment on himself  on our behalf. He does not preach destruction and run away. He destroys himself so that we can live. The Cross is the greatest sign calling us to repentance and conversion. “There is something greater than Jonah here… There is something greater than Solomon here”

Every time we come into the church and look at the Cross let us see in that sign something greater than Jonah. Every time we see the open book, the Bible, let us see something greater in his Word than the wisdom of Solomon. 

St Paul says the Cross is foolishness to the Jews and to the Gentiles. So often we are also very much like the gentiles.  We don’t see the greatness of the Cross or the wisdom contained in his Word. In our daily options and choices what are we choosing?  Do we not spent more time and energy studying Aristotle and Descartes, and Karl Marx than studying the wisdom contained in the in the Gospel? Do we not prefer the political and cricket commentaries to listening to the breaking of the Word? So often Bible classes are sacrificed for science classes or for co-curricular activities or to listen to some lecture sometimes given by  non-believers and even atheists . In our daily choices we study the wisdom of  Karl Rahners. and Karl Marx and Carl Jung  rather than the wisdom contained in his Word.  

 Lent is the time once again to recognize the wisdom in his Word.  It is the time to recognize in the Cross a sign greater than that of Jonah. If we don’t repent during this time of Lent, there may not be a better opportunity for repentance. Pray that every time  we step into the church we may  see  in the Cross a greater sign than that of Jonah and in his Word a greater wisdom than that of Solomon.                                  - Fr TV George sdb