Shopping for Signs

Gospel: Luke 11: 29-32

Why do we seek signs when we already know the way? We are like people who search for a doctor who will tell us what we want to hear: no need to exercise or lose weight; eat what you want, do what you want - we have a pill for whatever ails you.  Wouldn't it be great if such were true? But it is not, and it never has been and it never will be.  Yet we seek results without the work.

In the realm of religion it is no different.  We already know the way: repent, accept the mercy of God, and extend this mercy to others.  Yet we look for that sign that will tell us what we want to hear: do what you want, Jesus has done it all, no need for you to do anything.  How much easier is that than changing our behaviors and loving other people!  

People now are longing for peace and praying for it.  Yet we will prefer war to the conditions of peace, for the terms of peace are forgiveness, repentance on our part, and love for our enemy.  That requires too much of us, and so instead we will choose genocide, yet another refugee crisis - and us not wanting to help the refugees we create! - and endless war.  This is the sign of Jonah: Nineveh repented and found peace; Jonah kept hate in his heart and was consumed by the heat of the day.