Monday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Demanding signs from heaven
Liturgical Cycle: A | Lectionary Cycle: II
Introduction
For two weeks (but this year only two days, because we are beginning Lent), our first reading in Year II is taken from the letter of James, a relative of Jesus and leader of the Jewish-Christian community in Jerusalem. He draws heavily from the Jewish wisdom literature and the teachings of the Gospel. His key messages are concern for the poor and a faith that produces good works.
In the Gospel, the Pharisees ask Jesus for a sign that his authority came from heaven. But we too look often for signs and reassurances. Are the words of Jesus not assurance enough? Does not faith consist in trusting him? Our sign is the life and the message of Jesus.
Opening Prayer
Lord God,
Forgive us that in our weak faith,
We sometimes ask for signs and wonders.
We know that you are our Father,
But it is not always easy for us
to recognise your loving presence.
Give us eyes of faith to see the sign
that you are with us in Jesus and his message.
We say so reluctantly, for it is painful:
purify our trust in you and in Jesus,
that we may become more mature Christians,
who love you through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 119:67, 68, 71, 72, 75, 76
R. (77a) Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.
Before I was afflicted I went astray,
but now I hold to your promise.
R. Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.
You are good and bountiful;
teach me your statutes.
R. Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.
It is good for me that I have been afflicted,
that I may learn your statutes.
R. Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.
The law of your mouth is to me more precious
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
R. Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.
I know, O LORD, that your ordinances are just,
and in your faithfulness you have afflicted me.
R. Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.
Let your kindness comfort me
according to your promise to your servants.
R. Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord;
no one comes to the Father except through me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Prayers of the Faithful
– For people who have to face trials, that they may grow as persons and Christians through this testing of their faith, we pray:
– For those who doubt their faith or who hesitate to commit themselves the way their faith demands, that the Lord may give them insight and strength, we pray:
– For all of us, that the Lord may increase our faith and make it spontaneous and rich, without our needing special signs, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
God, our Father,
when contradicted and rejected,
your Son Jesus did not waver.
He accepted life with its sufferings
to bring us forgiveness and joy.
Do not allow us to be tossed about
by the waves of our doubts and fears,
but accept in this bread and wine
our will to be faithful to you and each other
in trials as well as in joys.
We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God, loving Father,
we know that unseen but ever-present,
you stand by our side in days of trial.
Help us also not to abandon
our brothers and sisters in need
but to strengthen their trust in you,
that together we may go forward
toward the joy that you promise us
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Blessing
The sign given us by Jesus is Jesus himself, God is showing himself in Jesus, in his inspiring word of life, in the tenderness of his healing, in his acceptance of all people, including outcasts and the poor. May God open your eyes and bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTION:
In Us and all around us
The season of Lent is just a couple of days away. Then we will reflect on the temptation of Jesus in the desert. The devil would ask Jesus to turn the stones into bread, so that he could satisfy his hunger or to Jump down from the pinnacle of the temple to make a spectacular show of his might so that people would instantly believe him. If our understanding of the temptation of Jesus as just those three temptations in the desert, we are mistaken.
The forty days in the desert is a representation of the entire time the Lord spent in this world, where temptation was a constant reality. The confrontation with the Pharisees in today’s gospel is just one such instance. As in the temptation story, here, the Pharisees take up the role of the devil and ask for a sign from heaven. Jesus does not care to give an answer to the devil in the desert, and that is what is manifested here in his response to the Pharisees. “No sign will be given to this generation!”
In the previous chapters of the Gospel of Mark, he narrated numerous miracles of Jesus – the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law, and then the multitudes, the leper, the deaf and dump, the blind, feeding the multitudes – miracles were aplenty. But the Pharisees failed to see them. Are we searching for spectacular signs in the sky or in our neighbourhood so that our faith can be strengthened? In fact, the mighty hand of God is at work within us and all around us, and yet we fail to see them.
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Mark 8: 11-13
You are the greatest sign that God exists
Life is full of trials, and just like an athlete strengthens his muscles through training, we grow stronger through the challenges we face. Every difficulty, every tear, and every obstacle ispart of a greater plan to build endurance, deepen our faith, and shape us into who God calls us to be. No trial is faced alone—God is always by our side, encouraging us, lifting us up, and reminding us that we are never abandoned. In the struggles of life, He is our greatest ally, urging us to press forward with hope.
At times, we might feel lost, unsure of which path to take. It is natural to seek signs from God, but the most important thing is to ask for signs that reveal His will, not just what we want to see. God constantly speaks to us through the events of our lives and the people we meet. The challenge is not the absence of signs but our willingness to recognise them. Looking back on our journey, we can see how God has already guided us in countless ways—and He will continue to do so.
The greatest sign of God’s presence is not written in the sky or found in extraordinary events. It is YOU. You are loved beyond measure, redeemed by Christ’s sacrifice, and called to reflect His light in the world. Your life, with all its joys and struggles, is a testimony of His love.
As we begin this new week, let’s stand before the mirror and ask ourselves: Am I a sign of God’s presence in the world? The answer is yes—because He lives in you.
Lord, help me to trust in Your presence, recognise Your signs, and be a reflection of Your love.
You are the greatest sign that God exists - Youtube
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Mark 8:11-13
Our unbelief causes God to sigh
When we realize that nothing we say or do makes sense to those around us, we sigh. When unspeakable sorrow wells up within us, we sigh. God sighs when he sees in us shallowness of faith and rebellious resistance to truth, a resistance that prevents the Spirit from entering our hearts. The Pharisees’ demand for a sign was a true sign of their lack of faith in him—for they had already concluded that Jesus was colluding with Beelzebub (Mk 3:22).
We're just a few days away from Lent. In the story of the temptation of Jesus in the desert, the devil asks Jesus to turn the stones into bread or to jump from the pinnacle of the temple to make a spectacular show of his might.
The temptation of Jesus was not just those in the desert, but it was a constant reality throughout his life. The confrontation with the Pharisees in today’s gospel is just one such instance. Here, the Pharisees play the devil and ask for a sign from heaven, just like in the temptation story. Jesus refused to oblige to the devil in the desert, and also here in his response to the Pharisees. “No sign will be given to this generation!”
Jesus leaves without obliging them, for he knows that their minds are totally closed, and no sign is going to convince them otherwise. True faith does not need signs; it simply believes, trusts, and loves— as we read in the letter of James in the first reading today.