A Wicked Generation

Gospel: Luke 11: 29-32

Jesus calls his own generation a wicked one for failing to heed the prophetic message he brings.  In this passage Jesus provides two examples that provide context.  The first is Jonah.  At his preaching the people of Nineveh repent - yet the context in which Jonah's mission took place provides more insight.  It occurred at a time when towns and villages throughout Israel were rejecting and executing prophets.  Jonah was not at all optimistic that a foreign city would accept him, and yet they did.

Similarly, the second example Jesus provides is the Queen of Sheba who comes from a foreign land in order to hear and accept the wisdom of Solomon.  Yet, throughout Israel people were not heeding Solomon's teaching.  Solomon himself does not even follow his own advice.  These examples mirror those from Jesus' earlier sermon to Nazareth where he pointed out where God's word was received by foreigners and outsiders while those who saw themselves as God's chosen were hard of heart.

So, the moniker of a wicked generation is applied not to all who live in that time or any other.  It refers to to those who regard themselves as the privileged ones of God and who fail to listen to the invitation to mercy and the command to show mercy to others.  Our own generation is similarly wicked.  When Christians applaud the abuse of immigrants, migrants, and refugees - when they call for public executions, rejoice when food aid and health care is deprived of the poor, and protect pedophiles, the wickedness is glaringly evident.