Monday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time (July 24, 2017): Why do we need a sign?.

Exodus 14:5-18
Exodus 15:1-6
Matthew 12:38-42
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/072417.cfm

USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/17_07_24.mp3

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus,
“Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.”
He said to them in reply,
“An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign,
but no sign will be given it
except the sign of Jonah the prophet.
Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, 
so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth
three days and three nights.
At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation
and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah;
and there is something greater than Jonah here.
At the judgment the queen of the south will arise with this generation
and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon;
and there is something greater than Solomon here.”

To know Jesus and recognize what he’s doing, we have to be able to read the signs of the times. When our focus is self-centered, we don’t notice the signs of God working through another person to give us what we need. When our focus is on what we want or what we think God should do to fix a problem, we can’t see what he’s really doing and thus we miss the joy that should be ours even in the midst of troubles.

The scribes and Pharisees in the Gospel reading today failed to read the signs that identified Jesus as the Messiah, because they were arrogantly certain that they knew the correct way to interpret the scriptures. So, when they asked Jesus to give them a sign, he knew that nothing would change their minds — nothing, that is, except humility.

Jonah learned humility in the belly of a whale. By referring to this story, Jesus was doing more than making a connection between Jonah’s whale ride and his own upcoming three-day ordeal with death. Not even his closest disciples could recognize this sign yet. So why would Jesus use Jonah as a sign in an effort to inspire a change of heart in the scribes and Pharisees?

Always hoping that the blind would see, he was trying to evangelize them.

As he so often did (and still does), Jesus didn’t directly answer their request. Although this is frustrating when we want to be in control instead of trusting Jesus, he always has our best interests in mind. He is trying to redirect the discussion to help us dig deeper and get to the truth that can change our hearts.

Has Jesus ever said to you, “I hear what you’re asking, but I won’t give it. Instead, I’m asking you to make a change”? Of course he has! I cannot count the times he has said that to me. And every time he does, there’s a need for it.

If we rely on our own understanding of what we need, we get confused and we side-track ourselves from the deeper issues where our souls cry out for healing. The greatest answer to prayer is purification so that our hearts rest fully in the Lord. Are you sure you want to skip this opportunity?

If God gave us everything we asked for at the same moment we ask for it, how would we become more mature in our faith? Pride would immediately tell us that we can control God.

More important than getting what we ask for is discovering the deeper truth, which perfects us. Oftentimes, God gives us what we want only after we have first grown spiritually stronger.

True faith means having the humility to let God be God; let him remain in charge of your life no matter how well or how poorly you think he’s doing his job.

Do we need a sign to build up our faith when we pray for a miracle? No! We need only Jesus. We already have the sign. It’s in every Catholic Mass when the bread and wine are transformed into Jesus himself.

We are never lacking in proof that God cares and will somehow answer our prayers: It’s visible all the time if we open our eyes to it. When we feel frustrated with God, what is lacking is the humility to stop insisting that we know better than God about what should be done and how soon it should happen.

What sign are you seeking today? Turn it into a spiritual growth spurt by smiling at Jesus and saying, “You are so-o-o-o good to me! Thank you. Do with my life as you will. I place my trust in you, for you are worthy of trust.”

Forgive me Lord for not appreciating your wonderful works in everything around me, what I have and what I am. Thank you because you are the only one who can make everything new. Amen.