28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C) : Monday 10th October 2022

The stubborn and self-willed Galatians who wanted to cling to the old Jewish Law refused to accept in toto that Christ was the salvation for both Jews and Gentiles.

They insisted that the Gentile converts keep the Mosaic Law, including all its rituals. Paul had to come down quickly and severely on this fundamental error.

He argued as a rabbi with rabbis, frequently quoting from the Old Testament. He proved, from the Allegory of The Covenants and from Isaiah and Genesis, that the Law proclaimed its own temporary nature and would give way to the New Law of the Spirit. The point was that the Mosaic Law and the New Law were incompatible and could not co-exist if one’s faith was based only on God’s promises. Clinging only to the Mosaic Law meant detracting from the Cross of Christ. Such a fundamental error could not be tolerated.

Similarly, Luke shows the stubbornness of the crowds around Jesus. They are rebuked for belonging to “a wicked age”. Strong words, indeed. Their stubborn persistence in asking for signs produces from Jesus the reminder that even the wicked people of Nineveh and the powerful Queen of the South had reformed when warned by Jonah and Solomon, respectively.

Such stubbornness was an obstacle to recognising Jesus as the one true sign, the object of our faith.

Lord, strengthen our faith to withstand our own stubbornness.