Why do we need a sign?

Good News ReflectionMonday of the 16th Week in Ordinary TimeJuly 20, 2009
Today's Saint: Margaret of AntiochPray for expectant mothers:http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/MargaretAntioch.htm
Today's Readings:Exodus 14:5-18Exodus 15:1-6Matt 12:38-42http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/072009.shtmlUSCCB Podcast of the Readings:http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_07_20.mp3
Why do we need a sign?
To know Jesus and what he's doing, we have to be able to read the signs of the times. If our focus is self-centered, we don't see the signs of God working through another person to give us what we need. If our focus is on what we want or what we think God should do to fix a problem, we don't see what he's really doing and thus we miss the joy that should be ours even in the midst of troubles.
The scribes and Pharisees in today's Gospel reading failed to read the signs that identified Jesus as the Messiah, because they were arrogantly certain that they knew the correct way to interpret the scriptures. So, when they asked Jesus to give them a sign, he knew that nothing would change their minds – nothing, that is, except humility.
Jonah learned humility in the belly of a whale. By referring to this story, Jesus was doing more than making a connection between Jonah's whale ride and his own upcoming three-day ordeal with death. Not even his closest disciples could recognize this sign yet. So why would Jesus use Jonah as a sign in an effort to inspire a change of heart in the scribes and Pharisees?
Always hoping that the blind would see, he was trying to evangelize them.
As he so often did (and still does), Jesus didn't directly answer their request. Although this is frustrating when we want to be in control instead of trusting Jesus, he always has our best interests in mind. He is trying to redirect the discussion to help us dig deeper and get to the truth that can change our hearts.
Has Jesus ever said to you, "I hear what you're asking, but I won't give it. Instead, I'm asking you to make a change"? Of course he has! I cannot count the times he has said that to me. And every time he does, there's a need for it.
If we rely on our own understanding of what we need, we get confused and we side-track ourselves from the deeper issues where our souls cry out for healing. The greatest answer to prayer is purification so that our hearts rest fully in the Lord. Are you sure you want to skip out on this?
If God gave us everything we asked for at the same moment we ask for it, how would we become more mature in our faith? Pride would immediately tell us that we can control God.
More important than getting what we ask for is discovering the deeper truth, which perfects us. True faith means having the humility to let God be God; let him remain in charge of your life no matter how well or how poorly you think he's doing his job.
Do we need a sign to build up our faith when we pray for a miracle? No! We need only Jesus. We already have the sign. It's in every Catholic Mass, when the bread and wine are transformed into Jesus himself.
What we're lacking is not proof that God cares, nor proof that our prayers will be answered. What is lacking is the humility to stop insisting that we know better than God does about what should be done and how soon it should happen. What is lacking is the humility to smile at Jesus and say, "You are so-o-o-o good to me! Thank you. Do with my life as you will. I place my trust in you, for you are worthy of trust. Duh!"
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