DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

The Pharisees came and began to argue with Jesus, asking Him for a sign from heaven, to test Him.  And He sighed deeply in His spirit and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.” And Jesus departed, and getting into the boat again, He sailed across to the other side of the Sea of Galilee.” – Mark 8:11-13

I have done it; my guess is that at some time you have done it as well.  I speak of our bargaining with God.  “Lord, if only You could … then I will serve You.”  Most of us quickly realize that this is but a testing of the Lord, much like did the Pharisees.  “Show us miracle, a sign from heaven, then we will give credence to what you have to say!”

In my daily self-examen, the other day I sensed the Lord asking me, “Why do believe in me?  Was it some miracle?  Was it the miracle of a virginal birth?  Was it the miracle of the resurrection?  Was it some ecstatic experience of being filled with the Spirit?”  So my self-examen moved into a deep contemplation, in search for the reason or reasons why I believe in Christ.

I believe in Christ not because of the miracles of Christmas but rather the Divine initiative in the Christmas Moment … God seeking to dwell among us, a shared experience of saving and transforming this world.

I believe in Christ not because of the miracles of feeding the crowds but because He had the compassion for the needs of the people … teaching us that in doing what we can in the face of human need somehow God will make it sufficient to meet the need.

I believe in Christ not because of the miracles but by how His teaching provides such insight into the ways of God and the ways of human society, ways that seem to go against our worldly way of thinking.

I believe in Christ not because of the miracles of Easter but because of the Beautiful theology of Love found in the self-giving sacrifice of Christ for our sake so that we in turn might live with Christ living within us.

I believe in Christ not for what He can provide me but rather for the keen awareness of His Presence with me.

I believe in Christ not out fear of hell but because of the beckoning of heaven.

Always in Christ’s Service,

Fr. Charitas de la Cruz