"No sign shall be given to this generation" (Mark 8:12)
The Pharisees want proof! They want to be sure that Jesus is not some fake prophet. They ask him for a sign. For the Jews a sign meant a token which guaranteed the authenticity of an utterance or the legitimacy of an action. They demand that Jesus demonstrate the legitimacy of his actions. Sometimes people are never fully satisfied, with what they see and what they get. They want more! If someone does a good deed, the naysayers search for the motive behind the action. If you finish your targets on time, the boss will expect you to beat the deadline the next time. No matter what you do it's not enough.
In today's Gospel you can feel how disheartened Jesus felt. Just after he had fed four thousand people with seven loaves and a few fish, the Pharisees come to him demanding for a sign to validate his ministry. Hadn't they seen enough already? What about all the diseases he healed and all the demons he cast out? And the dead he brought back to life? Have they forgotten how he rebuked the raging storm and stilled the waters? What more are they looking for? -The Cross!
Jesus sighed deeply and said there would be no more signs. No more big public displays. From now on, his healings would be intimate affairs, taking place quietly and apart from the crowds. And there would be far fewer of them as well. He had done all he needed to do in order to prove himself. Now it was a question of whether the people would believe him and listen to his teachings. After all, that’s what the miracles were for: to point beyond themselves to Jesus and his mission.
But can we blame them? Aren't we following in the steps of the Pharises? Jesus gives us signs every day and in many different ways. Some are very dramatic, like unexpected healings, but many are more ordinary, like a beautiful sunrise, birds chirping, dew on leaves or maybe a word of encouragement from a friend, smile from an enemy. But whatever these signs are, they are enticements. They are meant to spark us to seek Jesus, the giver of the gifts, so that we can find the full healing that his salvation brings— the healing of our souls along with our bodies.
What signs will the Lord give you today? Keep your eyes and ears open, and you will undoubtedly find a great many of them. But don’t stop at the sign! When one comes along, accept it gratefully—of course!—but also take it for what it is. It’s pointing you to Jesus. So turn to him, and let him speak his words of wisdom and love to you!
"Holy Spirit, open my eyes today. I want to see Jesus in every sign he gives me!"
The Pharisees want proof! They want to be sure that Jesus is not some fake prophet. They ask him for a sign. For the Jews a sign meant a token which guaranteed the authenticity of an utterance or the legitimacy of an action. They demand that Jesus demonstrate the legitimacy of his actions. Sometimes people are never fully satisfied, with what they see and what they get. They want more! If someone does a good deed, the naysayers search for the motive behind the action. If you finish your targets on time, the boss will expect you to beat the deadline the next time. No matter what you do it's not enough.
In today's Gospel you can feel how disheartened Jesus felt. Just after he had fed four thousand people with seven loaves and a few fish, the Pharisees come to him demanding for a sign to validate his ministry. Hadn't they seen enough already? What about all the diseases he healed and all the demons he cast out? And the dead he brought back to life? Have they forgotten how he rebuked the raging storm and stilled the waters? What more are they looking for? -The Cross!
Jesus sighed deeply and said there would be no more signs. No more big public displays. From now on, his healings would be intimate affairs, taking place quietly and apart from the crowds. And there would be far fewer of them as well. He had done all he needed to do in order to prove himself. Now it was a question of whether the people would believe him and listen to his teachings. After all, that’s what the miracles were for: to point beyond themselves to Jesus and his mission.
But can we blame them? Aren't we following in the steps of the Pharises? Jesus gives us signs every day and in many different ways. Some are very dramatic, like unexpected healings, but many are more ordinary, like a beautiful sunrise, birds chirping, dew on leaves or maybe a word of encouragement from a friend, smile from an enemy. But whatever these signs are, they are enticements. They are meant to spark us to seek Jesus, the giver of the gifts, so that we can find the full healing that his salvation brings— the healing of our souls along with our bodies.
What signs will the Lord give you today? Keep your eyes and ears open, and you will undoubtedly find a great many of them. But don’t stop at the sign! When one comes along, accept it gratefully—of course!—but also take it for what it is. It’s pointing you to Jesus. So turn to him, and let him speak his words of wisdom and love to you!
"Holy Spirit, open my eyes today. I want to see Jesus in every sign he gives me!"
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