The Gospel according to Mark (8:11-13)
The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with Jesus, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. He sighed from the depth of his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” Then he left them, got into the boat again, and went off to the other shore.
Reflection: Which of us has never asked God for a sign? Have we opened the Bible at random hoping to find a word or a phrase as a sign to help us? Have we even asked God directly for a sign to guide us in an important decision or outcome or reassurance?
We live in a society that has signs of all sorts; all shapes; all sizes; all around us. We can’t do or go anywhere without signage. Take for example something simple like going to a restroom in a public space. If it didn’t have any signage, then how would you know which one is for men or women? On the other hand, when I go fishing in the Sierras, there is a minimal number of physical signs on the trails or the river but there are many “spiritual signs” around me. There were many times I would just stop and sit and observe the signs that God was presenting to me. And when I did stop, there were an endless number of signs.
The question of how we see, and what lenses that we choose to use that allow us to understand our lives and the world around us. How do we understand where God, Jesus, and The Holy Spirit is operating in our lives? What gives us the capacity to even understand any of that?
Very often we are looking for a sign, but we often miss them because we are so busy and won’t slow down. We want God to speak loudly, clearly to us and place these signs right in our hands. But, as we know, that doesn’t always happen. More often what we experience is what appears to be silence from God. We may wonder, “Lord, where are You? Why don’t You speak to me?”
This Gospel is describing how we, as in all of us, are always looking for some sign from God, some reassurance, some acknowledgement, or approval. But have you ever stopped for a moment and thought, what if God has been waiting for a sign from you? Maybe He needs some acknowledgement, response, or reassurance from you. If you consider the Commandments and the Beatitudes, what signs of hope and assurance have you given God? Sure! We give the Sign of the Cross; Sign of Peace; the Peace sign, the sign of our open hands in prayer, we give a helping hand and at the very least we shake hands. But is that enough? Is that the sign that God is looking for?
Action of the Day: Go out to a park, a pond, your garden, you get the point and just listen and observe. Look for all the signs that God gives you but offer up a sign to God. He is speaking to you all the time. You just need to discern His voice.
Audio Reflection:
