Homily for Monday of the 4th Week of Lent

“Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.”

Jesus seems to express a little bit of frustration in our Gospel passage today; while He came to heal people’s souls, many people wanted only to see signs and wonders – miracles – either for their amusement or as proof of Jesus’ greatness.

However, he does seem to recognize the sincerity of the Capernaum official’s request.

He was concerned for his son; he wanted him to live; he wanted him to get well. Jesus healed the son without even going to the official’s house and, as we heard, all in the house came to believe.

Our challenge is to believe without seeing; to have true hope in the love, the grace, and the promise of everlasting life, without seeing signs and wonders, trusting that God is with us in the deepest recesses of our hearts, minds, and souls.+