Some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, " 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 Jonah the prophet. Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. At the judgement, 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 judgement the queen of the south will arise with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends to earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here."
The Word in other words
An acquaintance is discerning to enter the convent. What she is waiting for is a sign so that she can decide. A friend is thinking of migrating to Canada and is likewise praying for a sign. Another friend has received several marriage proposals from her boyfriend, but until now she is still waiting for a sign.
The demand for a sign is common to one's expression of belief. We ask for a sign to make certain that our desires are God's desires. We look for a sign as an assurance, a confirmation that our decisions coincide with what God wants.
In our gospel today, people are looking for a sign. They are clamoring not merely for a sign, but for a sign coming from Jesus (v.38). They might have heard so much about him that they would like to witness his miraculous signs, maybe because they would like to be assured that He is truly God. Interestingly, what Jesus does to pacify them is to make them remember Jonah's experience in the belly of a whale for three days and three nights, and connect this to his future "in the heart of the earth" (v.40). Jesus intentionally recalls this event to inculcate in them that if those who believed in Jonah's preaching repented and were saved, so will those who believe in him be saved, because he will go to the realm of the dead to conquer death. Hence through him, those who will believe will also rise to heaven. This is the invitation of Jesus to his listeners.
Thus, we may be asking signs from him for the sake of serenity in this life, but we should not lose sight of the greatest sign offered to us by him: life with him in eternity.
- Fr. Ross Heruela, SVD (DWST, Tagaytay City)
