Wednesday of the
First Week in Lent
(Jonah 3:1-10; Luke 11:29-32)
Enter into almost any doctor’s office, and you will be
asked for a sign. The attendant will
want to see your insurance card guaranteeing the doctor will be paid. You can tell the person that you have plenty
of money to cover the doctor’s fee, but he will not believe you. In today’s gospel Jesus chastises the people
for a similar lack of faith.
The people want Jesus to produce miracles on demand
before they believe in him. Jesus is
telling them that this is not God’s way. He says that just as the Ninevites believed
Jonah’s prophecy that God was ready to destroy them, Jews should believe his
message. Of course, Jesus wants them to
reform for a very different reason. Rather
than touting God’s wrath, Jesus is saying that God is at hand dispensing mercy.
It is hard for
many of us to trust. Perhaps we have
been abused by someone we once loved.
But, as Jesus indicates, there is plenty of reason to do so. We have life and likely more than enough to
eat. We probably have had at least one
parent who would have died for us and friends who are willing to help meet our
needs. These are all signs of a sort
indicating God’s presence. But some
still hold out saying that they require miracles on demand before they will
believe.
