“While still more people gathered in the crowd, he 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 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.” (Luke 11:29-32 NABRE)

God sent Jonah to proclaim to the people of Nineveh that they would be destroyed because of their sins and wickedness. Though Jonah tried to avoid God’s command to deliver this message, he eventually obeyed. He traveled throughout the city of Nineveh, telling everyone that they must turn from their evil ways, otherwise, God would exact punishment upon them. The Ninevites did not hesitate to turn from their evil, and they quickly mourned and fasted for their sins. It is written, “the Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.” (Jonah 3:5)

Jesus proclaimed that just as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, He would be a sign to us. He lived His life teaching about the Kingdom of Heaven and what we must do to receive eternal life. Like Jonah, Jesus proclaimed the need for repentance in our lives, and the importance of turning away from our sins. Have we openly received the words of Jesus in the Gospel, as the people of Nineveh received God’s message from Jonah? Or have we hardened our hearts to the Lord and His teachings? May we, like the Ninevites, rebuke our sins and repent without hesitation! May we believe in the sign that God has sent us, our risen Lord Jesus Christ.