“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.’” (Matthew 12:38-39)
In today’s gospel, the scribes and Pharisees tell Jesus that they want to “see a sign” from him. They want him to perform some incredible miracle for them, to put on a show. They don’t want him to perform a miracle to help their belief; they just want him to perform for them.
In his book, Jesus: A Gospel Portrait, Donald Senior explains the importance given to the healing ministry of Jesus. Jesus “was never content merely to proclaim and teach a message of love and mercy. His words and what he does are one. The herald of God’s love and mercy becomes the healer of sickness and disease. The compassion that led him to seek out the poor and the afflicted drove him to cure them and relieve their burdens. Zeal for God’s justice led him to challenge attitudes that isolated the sick and the disabled and denied them full access in the community of Israel. The gospels leave little doubt that such compassion and such a deep sense of justice were the motivation behind Jesus’ healing ministry. Compassion urges Jesus to touch the leper and cure him. Compassion for the crowds hunger moves him to feed them. His compassion for those cast aside by others and his determination to seek justice for them lead Jesus to respond to the pleading voice of the blind Bartimaeus when the disciples attempt to silence him.” (p. 106)
“The tragedy of our modern world is that it wants proof that God exists. There is no such proof. No amount of books, libraries, erudite people or marvelous speakers can convince us that God exists. We enter into the unseen mysteries of our faith, the mystery of God, through an experience, an event, a happening, a miracle…” (Catherine de Hueck Doherty). Faith is a gift from God that we need to cherish and nurture. If we believe in Jesus Christ then we are called to follow in his footsteps. By following in his footsteps we can also perform miracles. We can be a voice for those who have no voice; the unborn babies and children. We can respond to the pleading voice of the homeless man on the corner. We can visit the sick, take a meal to a grieving widow or mow the lawn of a neighbor whose child is ill. There are so many in our own little part of the world that are in need. And just as it was Jesus’ compassion that drove him to perform miracles, our compassion can be the driving force for miracles to occur in our lives as well.
Sometimes Jesus does respond to our demands for a sign in order to help our unbelief. Thomas would not believe that Jesus had risen from the dead “unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my hand into his side.” (John 20:25) I am sure the other Apostles' reaction would have been similar to Thomas' if they had been the one who wasn’t there when Jesus appeared to them. But again, it was Jesus’ compassion that led him to respond with gentleness to Thomas’ unbelief. He didn’t chastise him, instead he told Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” (John 20:27)
Dear heavenly Father,
Forgive me for the times that I have doubted you, for the times that I have demanded a sign from you. Open my eyes to all the miracles around me, to all the wonders of your majesty that are before me. Increase my faith so that I may believe even when I don’t see. Forgive my unbelief! Amen.
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