We live in a
time of signs and wonders, yet we don’t act as if we believe. It’s frustrating at times. And if it’s frustrating for me, a sinner, I
can’t even imagine how frustrating Jesus must feel.
John's Gospel
rightly notes that a prophet has no honor in his native place [John 4:44]. Since the world has become so interwoven
through the wonder of modern technology (as reflected in our ability to view
war in real time, with embedded reporters, and combatants able to email family
via wireless technology, to see just one wonder), the world really is the
"native place" for each of us.
If this is true, then prophets can arise anywhere in the world. Are there prophets among us now? Have there been prophets in our recent
memory? Are we paying attention to the
prophets among us, or are we giving them no honor? Do we look only to our own tribe for
prophets, or do we look to the rest of our “native” land?
Jesus
expressed just a hint of frustration that His own “tribe” didn't believe in
what He had to say, and the truth of His prophecy, unless they saw signs and
wonders. If we truly believe, do we need
signs and wonders? Do we need to see,
like the royal official, a cure of a sick child to believe in Christ's message
[John 4:43-54]?
Well, yes,
we probably do. Our faith is weak, and
when we see and understand signs and wonders, we believe in them. What are signs and wonders? Many of the examples in the gospels are
miracles, but are signs and wonders something besides the extraordinary? If we have true awareness of God's presence
in our lives, and we make an authentic response to that presence, then isn't
every aspect of life a sign and wonder?
If our faith should slip, if our response should falter, contemplating
life as signs and wonders again can shore up the foundation of our relationship
with God. Signs and wonders can help us
feel God's presence and reassure us.
Jesus understood this human weakness, and so used signs and wonders.
But signs
and wonders won't help us unless we understand and accept them. It’s our response to the signs and wonders
that is important. We can see modern
signs and wonders, yet what impact does it have on us? Are we acting as if we believe? When modern prophets interpret signs and
wonders for us, are we paying attention?
Do we use signs and wonders consistent with God's purposes, or for our
own? When we observe the great blessings
that modern signs and wonders can provide, do we share them freely or hoard
them selfishly? The most fundamental
message from Jesus is to love one another unselfishly.
Signs. I don't ask for them, but I've seen them. And most of them are profound, yet subtle.
Some that I remember are so profound that I can’t stop thinking about them and
meditating on them. As profound as they
were, they were also very subtle, and I'm sorry to say that I failed to act on them.
A dozen
years or so ago, Marilyn, our daughters, and I were in New York for a short
sightseeing trip and to see a couple of Broadway plays. As we were walking along 5th Avenue in the
morning on the way to Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, we passed by a young man
who was obviously cold. I thought, “Dear
God, if this guy is still out here when we pass this way again, I’m going to
give him my gloves.” But by the time
Mass was over, I had already forgotten to look for him on the way back. Later on in the day, we were walking back to
the hotel for the evening after a long day of sightseeing, and I saw a woman
bundled up against the cold, looking almost dead lying on the sidewalk. Many people were walking by very quickly,
appearing not to notice her. It was like
she was just part of the landscape. For
an all too fleeting moment, I thought I should see if she was all right and
maybe buy her a cup of soup or something. I didn’t, though. Instead, I picked up my pace to try to catch
up to the girls, who were crossing the street about 50 feet in front of me. From that point on in the trip, I really felt
bad about my obvious lack of compassion. For all of my noble thoughts of loving
my neighbor as myself, I showed a complete disdain for what Christ called the
Greatest Commandment. I think that both
of these unfortunate people (signs?) were placed in my path for me to recognize
as Jesus, and I failed our Lord’s test.
God, please
forgive me - I live in a time of signs and wonders, yet I don’t act as if I
believe. Please strengthen my faith so I
can act on my beliefs.
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