When we draw close to the brokenhearted or confront evildoers, we give the world signs of God’s love
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
The Gospel readings this week tell us about three of the signs Jesus performs in the Gospel of John: turning water into wine at the wedding feast of Cana (John 2), healing the royal official’s son (John 4) and healing the man who had been ill for 38 years (John 5).
John records seven signs performed by Jesus, starting with turning water into wine and ending with the raising of Lazarus from the dead. His point is not that these are all the signs Jesus performed. His point is that seven is the perfect number, and Jesus made the Gospel perfectly visible through His life and ministry.
Rather than jumping right to an exhortation to make the Gospel visible through our lives — we’ll get to that! — let me pause for a moment and ask a genuine question: What signs of God’s love have you experienced in your life?
Perhaps you’ve received encouragement or even seen a miracle. Perhaps you’ve received a challenge or seen a conversion. There’s plenty for us to do in terms of sharing the Gospel with others. But before there’s more for us to do, there’s more for us to receive ourselves. St. Maximus the Confessor said: “Indeed, God’s desire for our salvation is the primary and preeminent sign of His infinite goodness.” All of salvation history is a sign of that desire and goodness; the salvation history of each of us is a sign as well.
Speaking of signs, let’s get to the next question: What signs are we showing the world?
This week’s readings are full of signs of opposition to God. So we might ask ourselves: Are we showing the world signs that we refuse the love of Christ or signs that we accept it? Being anxious or becoming shrill are signs that we’re relying on our own strength; relying on Christ’s strength, by contrast, gives us a peaceful determination.
The readings are also full of examples of Jesus showing signs of the kingdom. So we might ask ourselves: Do we show the world signs that we want to share that kingdom with others or signs that we want to keep it to ourselves? When we share with others what God is doing in our lives and ask them about their lives, we’re showing others that we want to share the kingdom with them.
Psalm 34 says two poignant things that we might take to heart in this respect. It says: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.” Do we draw close to the brokenhearted or shy away? It also says: “The Lord confronts evildoers.” Do we name wrongs when we see them or shy away?
When we draw close to the brokenhearted, we give the world signs of God’s love. When we confront evildoers, we give the world signs of God’s truth. When we fail to do either, we leave the world without signs of God’s love and truth. What signs are we showing the world?
