Today's readings speak about God's offer of salvation, how it was promised through the prophets, accomplished in Christ, and then proclaimed to the nations, but a gift that requires a response of faith. And so the first reading is taken from Saint Paul's letter to the Romans. It's the very beginning of this letter. And what's interesting about Saint Paul's letter to the Romans is that he is writing to the Romans before ever even setting foot in Rome. This is very different from all his other letters, which are usually written after his visiting of the place, for example, Corinth or Philippi or Galatia. So all of those letters are written after the fact.
This was more of a introduction, an introduction that would allow Saint Paul to establish who he is to that community, which was already founded in Rome. So there were already early converts to Christianity who were already found there. There was already a community of Christian believers even before Saint Peter and Saint Paul arrived there. We know this even from Pentecost when, uh, some of those who were visiting were coming from Rome.
And so this letter is sent to the Romans and it's sent by a woman. A lot of scholars believe that this woman's name was Phoebe, a Greek name which comes from Phoibos, which means bright or radiant. And Saint Paul sends this letter through… Who was this Phoebe? In Romans 16, verses one and two, we read: "I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a helper and servant of the church at Cenchreae, so that you may welcome her in the Lord, as is fitting for the saints, and help her in whatever she may require from you. For she has been a benefactor of many and of myself as well."
So this was not just a commendation or a, you know, a polite way of introducing Phoebe to that community? No. In the ancient world, when someone carried a letter, the writer would add a commendation to vouch on their behalf. So, Phoebe—Phoebe, who we just heard was a benefactor to Saint Paul and to many others—traveled from Cenchreae, which is found in the eastern port of Corinth, and she traveled to Rome, either by ship across the Aegean or Tyrannion seas or overland routes.
And she would have actually read Saint Paul's letter to that community out loud to the Roman congregation, because many of them couldn't read themselves, and because she frankly had the authority from Saint Paul to read that letter to them. So she was a very trusted courier.
Saint Paul speaks about how he is a slave of Christ Jesus in the opening of this letter, and that he is called to be an apostle. In other words, he was sent. He's not sending himself, he's sent by God, and he's also set apart for something special—to deliver to them the message, the gospel, which means the good news that the Son of God has come into the world. And he's making a point to remind them that this gospel isn't something new, for it was long foretold by the prophets.
He speaks of the Davidic line and divine sonship. Paul states that Jesus is descended from David according to the flesh, fulfilling the messianic promise. Now we know that Joseph had no part in the conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary. But legally he would be the father of Jesus. And we can trace Joseph's genealogy back to David, King David himself, to whom God promised to establish his kingdom forever through his offspring.
Now, what's even more recognized is that Mary herself was biologically linked to the lineage of David. So although legally only the father would be recognized, yet Mary herself, biologically through her flesh, is linked to the genealogy of King David. And so truly Jesus would be of his line, both legally through Joseph, biologically through Mary. So Saint Paul is making this point to the Romans.
And then in the gospel, Jesus speaks of how the Queen of the South, that is the Queen of Sheba, which is mentioned in the first Book of Kings, chapter ten, verses 1 to 10, who traveled far to hear Solomon's wisdom, would rise in judgment over the unbelieving Israelites who refused to acknowledge the Lord's presence in their midst. Even after casting out the demon, they accredited this not to God, but to Beelzebub, the prince of demons.
And Jesus is making the point that this Queen of Sheba, not an Israelite, traveled so far to listen to Solomon. And yet somebody greater than Solomon was there. And then he also spoke of the Ninevites. We've been hearing all week about how God sent Jonah to Nineveh in order to proclaim repentance, that people would turn back to God. And they responded.
And so Jesus says the only sign that will be given to this evil generation, those people who refuse to acknowledge him, was the ultimate sign. That is the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights, this would be a prefigurement of how Jesus would die on Good Friday and rise on Easter Sunday.
My dear friends, let us ask the Lord to give us the grace to treasure the good news that has been given to us at such great cost—the good news, which is for us a wellspring of life and grace and blessing. For when we listen to the Word of God and allow it to absorb our hearts, when we allow God to dwell within us, that is when we have true life—the life that was always meant to be given to us. Sons and daughters of God.
Amen.
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