In Luke's gospel the crowds are often shown as people curious to see signs and wonders but without any real commitment to following Jesus. So today we are told that "the crowds got even bigger". What Jesus said was not very flattering. "This is a wicked generation; it is asking for a sign." The only sign they will get will be the sign of Jonah. Jesus, like Jonah, is a call to repentance and radical conversion of life.

Jesus implies that many of His listeners are not going to hear that call. On judgment day, they, the chosen people of God, will be surprised to see the people of Niniveh, pagans that they were, rise up because they repented at the preaching of Jonah - and Jesus is far greater than Jonah. We too, who claim to be God's People, may be surprised to see who will be called to God's side on judgment day because they heard and followed God's word. The question is: where will I be on that day? The answer to that question can be decided this very day and every single day from now on.