Daily Gospel Reflection
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February 14, 2022
The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with Jesus,
seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him.
He sighed from the depth of his spirit and said,
“Why does this generation seek a sign?
Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.”
Then he left them, got into the boat again,
and went off to the other shore.
“[Jesus] sighed,” likely worn out from performing miracles while traveling from town to town. His most recent—feeding 4000 people with seven loaves. The Pharisees knew all of this, yet they began to argue with him for their own sign. They did not realize in the hardness of their hearts that they were not those for whom Jesus would perform miracles.
So Jesus sighed.
As a father, I can relate. Most days, parents hope to see the fruits of their labors, but some days, our best efforts leave us exasperated. Even though we continue to love our children unconditionally, we sigh.
As a primary care physician, one of my goals is to help my patients live safer and healthier lives. I encourage them to eat right, exercise, and follow our agreed-upon game plan to address their chronic conditions. Many heed my counsel and do well. Some only engage as much as they can. Unsurprisingly, not all heed my advice and find no improvement at the next check-up. I wonder if my words have fallen on deaf ears with these patients and I sigh.
Reflecting on this passage, I realize that I take my turn as a Pharisee more than I would like to admit. I rationalize my behavior and choices and “argue with Jesus.” Do I expect Jesus to show me a unique sign, not noticing his wonders all around me? Do I forget that his life, death, and resurrection was the ultimate sign? How often do I make Jesus sigh?
Jesus sighs because he loves us and desires the best for us.
Let us be humble enough today to recognize the miraculous signs already given, and may we love as Christ loved, even in the moments that make us sigh.
Prayer
Almighty and everliving God, just like our ancestors in faith, we too can find ourselves doubting you and your designs. We pray for the grace to see the world around us through the eyes of faith and to recognize your presence which is the source of all that is good. We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.
Saint of the Day
Although not as famous as the saint we celebrate popularly today, Valentine, Cyril and Methodius, like Valentine, represent the strength of Christian love, as the strong bond of brotherly love of these two men strengthened them as they spread Christianity among the Slavic peoples of Europe.
Cyril and Methodius were born in the early ninth century in Thessalonica, which is now part of contemporary Greece. Methodius, the elder, was born around 818AD and Cyril around 827AD. Some sources claim that they were ethnically Turkish by birth, others that they were Greek. Their father died when they were still young and they were raised by the great preacher Theoktistos, who was not only a revered minister but was a powerful figure in the court of the Emperor.
Cyril was sent on his first missionary expedition East on his own, while Methodius became an abbot of a monastery. Cyril returned and studied philosophy, while he continued having great influence in the affairs of the empire. The brothers were sent on a mission to Moravia, at the request of Prince Rastislav of Moravia. Moravia had recently rejected paganism and converted to Christianity. But the people needed more instruction in the faith. Cyril and Methodius, imitating Christ's gospel command to journey two-by-two, traveled to Moravia and spread the faith. Furthermore, they created a new alphabet—Glagolitic—to write down the Slavic language, in order that they might receive religious instruction and practice the liturgy in the local tongue. This original alphabet still exists as modern Cyrillic (named after Cyril himself).
The brothers worked tirelessly to bring Christianity to the Slavs in their native tongue. They translated the liturgy and most books of the Bible into the Slavonic language.
Cyril died in 869 in Rome and Methodius died several years later in 885, after serving as archbishop of Moravia after his brother's death. The brothers have been celebrated as saints early as the eleventh century, and many Eastern European countries honor them with public holidays. They are the patron saints of Europe and also of Bulgaria, Macedonia, Czech Republic, and Slovakia.
They are witnesses to the creative ability of missionaries to bring the love of God into every culture and to speak the Word of God in rich and beautiful new languages.
Saints Cyril and Methodius, brothers who spread Christianity throughout Eastern Europe—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of Sts. Cyril and Methodius is in the public domain. Last accessed December 5, 2024 on Wikimedia Commons.
