Gospel MT 12:38-42
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.”
Reflection:
“Some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus,
‘Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.'”
One can almost hear the frustration and hurt in Jesus’ voice when he replies to these teachers of Mosaic law, “An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign.”
Jesus came to earth as a living example, a living witness of God’s great love and all they can think to say is “…we wish to see a sign from you.”
In asking for a sign, the Pharisees are saying, prove to us that you are from God.
Jesus answers, “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.”
Christ kept his word by dying on the cross and rising to life after three days.
But now, two thousand years later in discussions on religion, people are still asking for proof.
However, faith is not a matter of proof.
Faith is like love; it is a firm belief in something for which there is no proof.
The first time I ever gave a crucifix to a woman and said, “This is the man who sent you the furniture.” She replied, “I know. He’s always been there for me.”
“Some things have to be believed to be seen.” Madeleine L’Engle