💖 HOMILY - MARCH 1 💖

First Reading - Jonah 3:1-10

Gospel - Luke 11:29-32

The number of those who ask the question regarding the existence of God is increasing. It's about 450-500 million or about 7% of total population. There are many who don't believe in God nor attempt to recognise God. Some called themselves  atheists or agnostics or skeptics etc. They want to perceive God with their senses in order to come to faith. In other words, they need valid proofs or perceptible proofs to believe in God. The readings of today highlight that God has already displayed His signs everywhere, provided we see them with the eyes of faith.

In the first reading, we come across a beautiful example of faith of the Ninevites. The story of the conversation of the Ninevites comes as parody or mockery for the Jews who remained stubborn and resistant to any change of their sinful life, although God sent them many prophets. The stubbornness and disobedience of Israel is portrayed by the prophet Jonah who disobeys and later unwillingly executes the command of God. On the contrary, the people of Nineveh hear only once from the prophet about the destruction of the city and they repent; from the king to the animals visibly manifest the sign of repentance. This scene becomes parody for Israel as the chosen people who failed to believe in the words of the prophets and change themselves. However, the gentiles readily come to believe in the message of the prophet and changed themselves in view of God's mercy.

The gospel passage recounts the controversy scene and the disbelief of the Pharisees (leaders of the chosen nation). They ask for a sign from Jesus to believe in him. Jesus does not give any immediate sign or show a miracle to win them but directs them to Jonah and Solomon who became great signs of faith for the gentiles. Jonah became a sign of repentance for Nenevites, whereas Solomon became a sign of great wisdom from God for the queen of Sheba. The commonality between both was that they became bacon of faith for the non-Jews; the Nenevites turned in repentance to God of Israel and the queen of Sheba praised the God of Israel witnessing the wisdom of Solomon. In short, the both the group of non-Jews were led to faith in the God of Israel by Jonah and Solomon respectively. 

Jesus, by comparing himself with Jonah and Solomon, tries to assert that he himself is a greater sign than Jonah and Solomon. What he does and preaches testify about him and what he is. They only need the eyes of faith to perceive and recognise him.

Dear friends, do we recognise Jesus? God has embedded His signs everywhere that bacon to Him and His glory. The universe itself is a sign for those who see it with the eyes of faith. St. Francis of Assisi saw a clear imprint of God in every creation and praised God for the beautiful creation. It's because he saw everything with the eyes of faith. St. Teresa of Kolkata saw every suffering person as suffering Christ. This was a sign for her to recognise Christ in them. St. Ignatius of Loyola and many other saints discovered Christ in the Bible. The Bible became a sign for them to recognise Christ. God has filled our lives with His imprint, we need the eyes of faith to discover Him and recognise Him.

The Pharisees, representing the group of chosen people, failed to recognise Jesus because they lacked faith in him whereas the people of Nineveh recognised the voice of God through the prophet and believed in the message because they perceived the message as the voice of God and repented for their sins. God communicates through His voice to us daily in the mass through the readings, and through different people and events of the day, we need to see them with the eyes of faith. Certainly, in this way, we will perceive and recognise Him.

Let's ask grace of God to let us see everything with the eyes of faith to recognise Him in our lives.