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.
Today’s reading from Luke follows the one from last week when a woman in the crowd called out and said, “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.” He replied, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” The crowd surrounding Jesus would have known the story of how the Queen of Sheba came from far away to visit Solomon because she heard of his great wisdom and sought him out. Here, Jesus tells the crowd that in him there is something greater than Solomon.
God, help me understand limited and limiting human wisdom and the primacy of your divine will. Everywhere, every day, just as the crowd did in Jesus’ time, I seek signs. How do I look to you instead, Lord, for direction? In that, there is true freedom. As Saint Paul says in the first reading, “For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.” To begin, let me consider yesterday’s Gospel reading, where one of the ten lepers whom Jesus healed returned to him, falling to the feet of Jesus to thank him. Lord, how do I begin to recognize throughout the day that all longing—all of my needs—flow from you and return to you?
Jesus, teach me to live in the true freedom of your divine will, which brings healing in this life and everlasting life to come. Thank you for the gift of free will, being able to choose you as the end to which all signs point. “For freedom Christ set us free,” Saint Paul says. Give me the grace today to hear you; yours is the voice that leads me to the blessed freedom of resting in you. “Blessed be the name of the LORD,” the Psalms from today say, “both now and forever.”
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.