Monday, July 18 : Saint Ephrem

After all the signs our Lord had given these blind men, who could see nothing, said to him: “We wish to see a sign from you”. Our Lord left aside his witnesses, the kings and prophets, and appealed to the Ninevites. (…) Jonah had prophesied the destruction of the Ninevites; he had put fear into them and sown consternation among them. They, in return, gave him a harvest of contrition and the fruits of repentance. Thus the Gentiles were chosen and the uncircumcised drew near to God; the pagans were given life and sinners converted… “They asked him for a sign from heaven” (Lk 11:16), like thunder, for example, as for Samuel (cf. 1 Sam 7:10) (…). They had heard preaching from on high and had not believed it, which is why this preaching rose up form below (…): “The Son of Man (…) Jonah rose up out of the sea and preached to the Ninevites, who repented and were saved. Even so our Lord, when he had raised his body from the dwellings of the dead, sent out his apostles among the nations. These were completely converted and received the fullness of life.
Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team