When we see health products or weight-reduction programs advertised on TV there are “before-and-after” pictures given to convince us that the product actually works. A 250-pound person is shown on the left side of the screen, and on the right side is a picture of the same person at 125 pounds. Or a down-and-out person is shown locked up in her room only to be replaced by a vibrant version of herself taking a walk on the beach. Messages are backed up with evidence.
When Jesus came, he brought the power of heaven with him. Wherever he went, his preaching was backed up with signs and wonders that gave evidence that he was a man of God. In the gospel story today, on the feast of St. Mark the Evangelist, we are told of the “signs” that will accompany those who believe in and announce the gospel (Mark 16:15-20).
“Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature…These signs will accompany those who believe; in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
This is a list of amazing signs, isn’t it? If you walked in a room and cast out a demon in the name of Jesus, that would get people’s attention. Or if a deadly snake showed up in your backyard, and you went over and picked it up, your neighbors would be astounded. And if you walked into a hospital, went into the room of a dying person, and said, “Be healed in the name of Jesus,” and that person jumped out of bed and started running down the hallway, all those around would be overwhelmed.
We go to church, we attend Mass, we listen to Scriptures read, and we say that we believe that Jesus is risen from the dead. Does this impress people or make them want to come to Mass with us? Probably not. We’d get a “ho-hum” response from them. If, however, one of the five signs accompanied our talk, that would be a different story. If these kinds of miraculous signs began to take place in our churches, there would be standing room only.
Words and ceremonies are not missing; we have an abundance of them. What is missing are the “signs” —the actions that stir amazement in people and give credibility to our message about Jesus.
Do we start praying that our priests and deacons would start working “signs” among the people? Did this reading from St. Mark say that these signs will accompany priests, deacons, and evangelists? No, it says they will accompany “those who believe.” That means us, doesn’t it. Do we have the courage to start talking to people about Jesus and how he has the power to lift them from whatever ditch they find themselves in? And do we have the courage to let one of “these signs” be manifested through us? What is the problem here? Isn’t it the fear of what others might say about us? Aren’t we afraid of being rejected by others, even friends and family members if we start letting the Holy Spirit work extraordinary signs through us.
So, where do we start? Let’s start with the last item on the list—laying hands upon the sick and watching them recover. We all know sick people; are we willing to visit them, lay hands on them and ask Jesus to heal them?
