“Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.”
Jesus does want us to know who he is and to trust him. He does reveal himself to lost sheep. He does do signs that cause people to be amazed and to follow him. But all too often we, with the scribes and the Pharisees, ask for signs to prove things for which we already have proof. We ask for revelations of things that have already been revealed. Jesus doesn't give us signs as simple entertainment. Neither do we set the conditions by which he will prove who he is to the world, though he does in fact prove it. If we feel doubts and start demanding signs this can become dangerous. Jesus gives us what we need for faith. To insist on more draws us, little by little, away from him.
An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign,
but no sign will be given it
except the sign of Jonah the prophet.
Our walk of faith is meant to be simple. It is we ourselves who are complicated. We look for God to do elaborate special effects to prove himself to us. We in turn look to perform complex acts in order to appease him.
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,
with myriad streams of oil?
But none of this is meant to be as complicated as we make it.
You have been told, O man, what is good,
and what the LORD requires of you:
Only to do the right and to love goodness,
and to walk humbly with your God.
If we walk in humility with God we are shielded from doubt. God is able to satisfy the mind that is humble to the full. We no longer need to do great things to prove ourselves to God. We accept that his love is primary and that our part is to respond in humility.
Mary is our model in this as in everything. It isn't that she is naively trusting. She does ask, "How can this be?" But she asks in humility, genuinely desiring the explanation. She responds, not with any great actions, but with humble faith.
And Mary said: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior, because He has looked with favor on the humble condition of His slave. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed, because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and His name is holy (See Luke 1:45-49).
Let's love goodness anywhere and everywhere we find it. Let us do the right even though the right is often simple and unexciting. And let us walk in humility in the presence of our God.
He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me;
and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.
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