Lord, give me a sign
“Lord, give me a sign!” is the mantra of those wishing to discern God’s will to find direction. You and I may have sought for a sign ourselves, or we know of someone who may have prayed or asked for a sign from God before making a major decision in life: about a career, marriage, a religious calling, relocating to a new city or town, or even accepting a job offer.
We all do like such confirmation, don’t we?
“Why does this generation ask a sign. Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation,” says Jesus in today’s gospel reading (Mark 8: 11-13).
In the Gospel of Matthew 16:4, Jesus states: “A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.”
What is wrong with asking for a sign?
There is nothing wrong in asking or seeking God’s help or will. But the downside is what is the reason behind the asking or seeking? What is the intent? What would you like to achieve and why? Do we ask for a sign because we need a quick fix to our problems? Do we genuinely seek to know God’s will? Do we doubt the word or work of God, then we need a sign to reconfirm? Are we asking in faith, with faith, or without faith? These are the questions or concerns.
If God were to give us some clear sign in life revealing His will, we should take it as a gift and be grateful for it.
Jesus strongly condemns those seeking signs due to lack of faith. Jesus wants us to seek Him through the gift of faith.
What is a sign?
A sign is something that points to something else. Some of the Evangelists prefer to use the word “Sign” rather than the word “Miracle” in reference to Jesus’s works.
The miracle of Jesus points us to who Jesus is. It points to His mission, divinity, and the Paschal Mystery. The key is that Jesus’ death and Resurrection IS the sign that will be given. Seeking a sign other than this would be wrong in that it would be a way of saying that the death and Resurrection of Jesus are not enough.
In the second reading, Saint James reminded us that amid trials, temptations, confusion, doubt, fear, and overconfidence or self-reliance, we need to be faithful and unshakable. We need to trust even more. Jesus, I trust in you. Our trials produce perseverance. We near it said many times, “there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
James says when we ask, we should ask in faith and not like the Pharisees in today’s gospel. He noted that anyone who asked with doubt is like “a wave of the sea.” Wow!
The life of saints is a sign for the living. We are called to reflect and emulate their courage, compassion, struggles, strength, love for God and neighbor, victories, and triumphs. Today we celebrate the memorial of Saints Cyril and Methodius. The two brothers dedicated their lives for the services of the church. They were wonderful missionaries whose mission spread over a vast area of central Europe. They worked as equals, determined to plant the Christian faith as Apostles to the Slavic peoples. Like Cyril and Methodius, may we be a Christ-like sign to our sisters and brothers, Amen.
