Reflection for July 21 Monday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 12:38-42

Gospel: Matthew 12:38-42

Some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you." He said to them in reply, "An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. 

At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and there is something greater than Jonah here. At the judgment the queen of the south will arise with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here."

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Reflection:

The story is told about a woman who was eyeing a man to be her husband, but she was not sure if he was the right one for her. So, she prayed in her heart, “Lord, I need a sign. I need to see a white butterfly right now so that I will know I should say yes to him.” 

Lo and behold, a white butterfly began to circle around her. She took it as a sign and said yes to the man. But after a few years, they separated. What does this teach us? 

It reminds us that affirmative signs are not always manifestations of God’s truth and will. We should not build our decisions on signs alone, for they can be misleading if we do not deeply seek God in prayer and discernment. 

At times, we too may ask Jesus for a sign to confirm what we want or what we are afraid to decide. But the truth is, no sign is bigger than Jesus Himself. If we have strong faith in Jesus, and if we nurture a deep friendship with Him, Jesus is more than enough to guide us and carry us through every season of our life’s journey. 

Let us always trust in Jesus, for He will never fail us. Yes, we will experience humps and bumps along the way, moments of uncertainty and pain, but let us never use these as excuses to distance ourselves from the Lord. Instead, let them lead us closer to Him, allowing us to experience His loving presence even more deeply. 

For those who will remain faithful, who will choose to believe even without signs, and who will keep walking with Jesus in trust and surrender, a rich and beautiful reward awaits you in His perfect time. 

May we always remember that Jesus is more than enough. When we walk with Him, we will never walk alone. – Marino J. Dasmarinas