💖 HOMILY - JULY 24 💖

First Reading - Exodus 14:5-18

Gospel - Matthew 12:38-42

When we find people being suspicious and doubtful about something, immediately we brand the person as 'doubting Thomas'. However, we sideline or miss the punch of the account of doubt of Thomas which resulted in acknowledgement of Jesus as Lord and God, unlike by any of the disciples of Jesus. Doubt is natural but remaining in doubt can be dangerous. The readings of the day invite us to strengthen our faith in Christ by removing any figment of doubt that can daunt and bangle our spiritual life.

The first reading presents the account of the doubt of the people of Israel, on seeing the pursuing of the mighty band of Egyptians. Consequently, they complain and grumble against Moses and God. The doubt of Israelites was natural at that given time but not apt because they had already witnessed to the ten signs performed by Moses in the name of Yahweh. Despite all, God promises Moses to exhibit His power in the presence of His people against Pharoah and his army to strengthen the faith of His people.

The gospel recounts the doubt of Scribes and Pharisees about the identity of Jesus. They ask for a sign from heaven, so that they can believe in him. Jesus apparently refuses to give an immediate supernatural sign but backons to his resurrection as the sign of his true identity as the Son of God. He uses the figure of Jonah to ascertain his resurrection. However, Jesus also denounces their lack of faith sarcastically by using the examples of Nineveh and the Queen of South who came to witness to the wisdom of Solomon. Both the groups came to faith; people of Nineveh converted by believing in the message of the prophet and the Queen of South acknowledged the wisdom of Solomon who were the pagans but the leaders who are the most observant of the law have refused to believe in Jesus who is far greater than the message of the prophet Jonah and Solomon himself.

Dear friends, we, at some point of time in our lives, certainly doubt or have doubted our faith and the belief, we have. It's natural because that makes our faith mature against superstition and superficiality. However, when we start to look at everything with suspicion and less from the perspective of faith, we may miss to see what God reveals to us in our lives. Just as God readily accepts to perform a great sign for the people of Israel against Egyptians and in the gospel Jesus predicts about his resurrection as the great sign of who he is, so also God gives us signs in our lives, look at the events of the day with the eyes of faith. From the moment we rise to see a new day to we retire to bed, we encounter many moments of God-revealing Himself. Let's be emboldened in our faith rather doubt.

May God help us see His signs performed in our lives with the eyes of faith.