In many ways Jesus was, for the people of Galilee, a 'superstar'. They heard stories of the healing miracles he was performing and, as happens in our own day, bigger and bigger crowds were coming from all over to see what he would do next. In today's Gospel, Jesus stops them in their tracks. He has not come just to be a sensation titillating the curiosity of the multitude. They are looking for more marvels but Jesus tells them very clearly that the meaning of his life and mission is very different. They are looking for 'signs' but the only sign they will be given is the 'sign of Jonah'. Jonah became a sign to the people of Niniveh by calling them to repentance and a change of life and (to Jonah's surprise) they responded. Similarly the Queen of Sheba travelled a long way to listen to the wisdom of King Solomon.

The people in today's Gospel are in the presence of Someone far greater than Jonah or Solomon. It is not enough to come to Jesus to satisfy a hunger for the sensational; one must listen to His Word and walk in His Way. He is saying exactly the same thing to us.