Homily for Monday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time

In today’s Gospel passage from St. Matthew, Jesus refers to two significant figures from Jewish history: the wise king Solomon and the reluctant prophet Jonah. He emphasizes that He is greater than both Jonah and Solomon. Jesus not only conveys God’s word, but He is also the Word of God; He is not just a wise king, but He embodies the Wisdom of God. Despite His true identity, many of His contemporaries did not recognize or appreciate Him; they demanded miraculous signs before they would take Him seriously.

What Jesus says to them is also directed at us: “There is something greater than Jonah here; something greater than Solomon here,” someone more wonderful than all the prophets and wise men of Israel combined is present among us and within us. Jesus is not only greater than Jonah and Solomon; He surpasses anything that might create a barrier between Him and us. As Saint Paul reminds us, “Nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”