We hear some common sense advice from Jesus today. A lot of times, even in our modern era, we tried to read signs in nature to forecast the weather. I know the Farmer’s Almanac is still popular here in the US. For our part of the country, it forecasts an upcoming winter that is “penetrating cold and very wet.” With the dry months we’ve just had, that sounds like a relief. For the Midwest, it forecasts “numbing cold and snowy” - not so good. In Jesus’ day in Ancient Israel, they would use patterns to forecast the weather as well. Wind coming from the Mediterranean ocean to the west was known to bring rain. Wind coming from the south from the desert would bring hot weather and no moisture. Jesus asks the people why they are good is reading the signs in the weather but are not very good in reading the signs from God that are before them. Here God has sent Jesus, the Messiah, with teachings and signs and wonders. He heals the sick. He performs miracles to feed the crowds and to calm the storms. Yet, they fail to recognize that these signs are from God. They clammer for other signs, not understanding what is already before them. They look on with curiosity, but are unwilling to make a commitment of faith. We can see our church and our religion and our faith as drudgery or as an obligation, or we can see it as an opportunity or an invitation from God. Are we reading the signs and the opportunities that God give us on our own journeys of faith?
No comments:
Post a Comment