First Reading - Galatians 4:22-24,26-27,31-5:1
Gospel - Luke 11:29-32
In the first reading, Paul continues his teaching on the importance of faith over the law. He speaks of the freedom that comes through faith in Christ, in contrast to the slavery of merely observing the law in a rigid, legalistic way. Paul uses the example of Sarah and Hagar to make this point, allegorizing them to represent two covenants. Sarah, the legitimate wife of Abraham, symbolizes freedom—linked to Jerusalem where Jesus gave His life to bring salvation. Hagar, the Egyptian slave, represents the law and slavery, symbolized by Mount Sinai. Paul’s message to the early Christians, and to us, is to recognize our freedom in Christ that comes through faith. True freedom is experienced when we recognize this truth and live it out in faith.
The Gospel also speaks to the need to open our eyes in faith to recognize God’s works. In today’s passage, the Pharisees demand a sign from Jesus to prove His authority and divinity. But instead of giving them a miraculous sign on demand, Jesus points them to the examples of Jonah and Solomon. Jonah was a sign of repentance for the Ninevites, and Solomon was a sign of God’s wisdom for the Queen of Sheba. Both of these figures were recognized by those around them as bearing signs of God’s presence and action in the world.
Jesus compares Himself to Jonah and Solomon but makes it clear that He is greater than both. His life, His teachings, and His works are already the greatest signs of all, but the Pharisees are blinded by their lack of faith. Jesus does not perform miracles to prove Himself; instead, He asks for the eyes of faith to see and recognize the deeper truth of who He is.
Dear friends, this brings us to a question we must all ask ourselves: Do we recognize Jesus in our lives? God has placed His signs everywhere for those who have faith to see. The universe itself, in all its beauty and order, points to the Creator. St. Francis of Assisi famously saw the reflection of God's power in every part of creation—the stars, the trees, the animals. He recognized the reflection of God's power because he looked at the world through the eyes of faith.
Similarly, Mother Teresa saw Christ in every suffering person she served. For her, the poor, the sick, and the dying were not just people in need; they were Christ Himself, disguised in the suffering. St. Ignatius of Loyola found Christ in the Scriptures, and the Bible became a profound sign for him to encounter Jesus. In all these examples, faith opened their eyes to see beyond the surface and recognize the divine presence.
God has filled our lives with His imprint, His signs, calling us back to Him. But we need the grace of faith to see them clearly. We must ask ourselves, What are the signs of God in my life? Where is He at work? When we live with faith, we will begin to recognize these signs all around us—in creation, in the people we meet, and in the events of our daily lives.
Let us pray for the grace to have the eyes of faith so that we may truly see God in every part of our lives. May we come to recognize the reflection of God's power in creation, in our relationships, and in His word, and may this recognition deepen our relationship with Christ and lead us to greater freedom in Him.
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