T he Signs: Our Lord makes himself known to us by giving sufficiently clear signs. The Gospel of today’s Mass (Luke 7:19-23) presents to us two of John’s disciples. They ask Jesus: Are you the one who is to come or shall we look for another? Some important doubt must be lurking in their minds.

In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits and on many that were blind he bestowed sight. Then he replied to those who had been sent, Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk ... You do not have to look for another: I am the Lord, and there is no other (Is 45:7), he declares in today’s first reading. He brings us the happiness that we are hoping for; he satisfies all the aspirations of the soul. He who finds Jesus finds a good treasure ... And he who loses Jesus loses a great deal, more than if he lost the whole world. He who lives without Jesus is poor indeed, and he who is with Jesus is rich indeed (T. á Kempis, The Imitation of Christ II). There is nothing greater to search for. And he comes as a hidden treasure (Matt 13:44), as a pearl of great value (Matt 13:45-46), whose value we must learn to appreciate.

Hidden from the eyes of men who are waiting for him, he is born in a cave, and some simple shepherds are the first to adore him. It was the simplicity of these men that would enable them to see the Child who had been announced to them. It enables them to surrender themselves to Him and adore Him. Others who find Him are the Magi, old Simeon who was looking for the consolation of Israel, and the prophetess Anna. And John himself who points him out: This is the Lamb of God... Likewise did a good number of His disciples, and all those who throughout the centuries have made their whole lives revolve around him. Many have given their lives for him. We too have found him and this discovery is the most extraordinary part of our poor existence. Without Our Lord our lives would be worthless. He makes himself known to us with clear signs. We do not need any more proofs in order to see him.

God always gives us sufficient signs to discover Him. But we need good interior dispositions to see Our Lord who is passing by alongside us. Without humility and purity of heart it is impossible to recognize him, although he may be very close.

We ask Jesus now, in our personal prayer, for good interior dispositions and for supernatural outlook so that we may find him in the things around us, in nature itself, in suffering, in work, in what appears to be failure. Our own personal history is full of signs so that we do not mistake the way. We too will be able to say to our brothers, to our friends, we have found the Messiah, with the same certainty and conviction as that with which Andrew told his brother Simon. # # #

With permission from Scepter UK. Short excerpt from IN CONVERSATION WITH GOD by Francis Fernandez. Available at SinagTala or Totus Bookstore 723-4326 or at www.totusbookstore.com(info@totusbookstore.com)

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