💖 HOMILY - MARCH 12 💖

First Reading - Jonah 3:1-10 

Gospel - Luke 11:29-32

There are many who do not believe in God nor attempt to recognize Him. Some are called atheists, agnostics, or skeptics. They seek tangible or perceptible proofs to believe in God, relying on their senses to come to faith. However, today's readings highlight that God has already displayed His signs everywhere—provided we see them with the eyes of faith.  

In the first reading, we encounter a striking example of faith in the people of Nineveh. The story of their conversion serves as a kind of parody or rebuke to the Jews, who remained stubborn and unrepentant despite the many prophets God sent to them. The prophet Jonah himself embodies this stubbornness, initially disobeying God’s command and later carrying it out unwillingly. In contrast, the people of Nineveh, upon hearing just one proclamation from Jonah about the impending destruction of their city, immediately repent—from the king to the very animals, all display signs of repentance. This scene is meant to be an indictment of Israel, God’s chosen people, who refused to listen to their prophets and change their ways, while the Gentiles, who were not part of the covenant, readily believed and repented, hoping for God's mercy.  

The Gospel passage recounts a moment of controversy where the Pharisees, the religious leaders of Israel, demand a sign from Jesus to prove His identity. Jesus refuses to perform a miracle on demand but instead points them to the examples of Jonah and Solomon—two figures who became great signs of faith for the Gentiles. Jonah was a sign of repentance for the Ninevites, while Solomon was a sign of divine wisdom for the Queen of Sheba. The striking similarity between these cases is that both involved non-Jews who came to faith in the God of Israel through these signs.  

By comparing Himself to Jonah and Solomon, Jesus asserts that He is an even greater sign than both. His words and deeds testify to who He is. Yet, the Pharisees remain blind because they lack the faith to recognize Him.  

Dear friends, do we recognize Jesus? God has placed His signs all around us, calling us to see His presence and glory. The universe itself is a sign for those who look upon it with the eyes of faith. St. Francis of Assisi saw the imprint of God in all creation and praised Him for it. Mother Teresa saw Christ in every suffering person she served. St. Ignatius of Loyola and many other saints discovered Christ in the Scriptures. For them, the Bible became the clearest sign of God’s presence. Likewise, God has filled our lives with His imprint—we only need the eyes of faith to discover and recognize Him.  

The Pharisees, as representatives of God's chosen people, failed to recognize Jesus because they lacked faith. In contrast, the people of Nineveh recognized God’s voice through Jonah and repented. They perceived his message as coming from God and turned back to Him. Today, God continues to speak to us—through the Scriptures, through the Mass, through the people we encounter, and through the events of our daily lives. We need the lens of faith to perceive Him.  

Let us ask for the grace to see everything with the eyes of faith so that we may recognize God’s presence in our lives.