Looking For a Sign

We are engulfed by signs—directional, seasonal, warning, regulatory, and even our vital signs. The Pharisees in today’s Gospel were looking for a different sort of sign. They were demanding an authenticating signal from God to prove that Jesus was the true Messiah. Jesus sets them straight, saying that no signal at all will be given to their generation. In fact, the only sign Jesus will provide is the story of his own life, death, and resurrection.

There were times when he did show them who he truly was. Feeding four thousand with a few loaves of bread and some fish is surely the proof they were seeking. Healing the paralyzed man, restoring a blind man’s sight, raising Lazarus from the dead – all signs pointing to who Jesus was. Unfortunately, they just didn’t understand and were arguing among themselves about what these miracles meant. They intended to test Jesus, to discredit him, to see if he was the one they awaited. The aggressive Pharisees wanted God to do what they wanted and when they wanted it to happen.

The Pharisees’ problem was they were paying attention to the signs and not focusing on the man himself. Why wouldn’t Jesus give them what they wanted, a sign from heaven? The answer is that he had already provided them with proof of his identity. Jesus finally had had enough of this arguing. After denying them what they wanted, he got back into his boat and crossed over to the other side of the lake. He removed himself from the unbelievers.

Are you looking for a miracle or some spectacular event to strengthen your faith. Hasn’t Jesus touched your life many times, proving again and again how much he loves you?

Let us pray:

Loving God, I can’t remember ever looking for a sign from you, but you have revealed yourself to us in so many ways. When we need you, you are with us. When faced with dilemmas, you show us your way if only we are paying attention. When saddened we automatically turn to your comforting arms. When our faith needs a boost, you come to us in our prayers. The Holy Spirit steps in to help us see and understand your reality. How can we ask for anything else? Amen.