THE SIGN OF JONAH

July 21, 2025 Monday within the 16th week in Ordinary Time Year C Matthew 12:38-42 There were moments in my life — and even in my priesthood — when I begged God for a sign. A whisper of assurance, a miracle to ease the ache, or a light to make sense of the dark. Like the Pharisees in today’s Gospel, I wanted something visible, something loud, something immediate. But heaven seemed silent. And in that silence, I felt abandoned, unseen, maybe even unloved. But that’s when this Gospel struck me deeply: “No sign will be given… except the sign of Jonah.” The sign I was looking for was not in the sky, but on the Cross — and in the empty tomb. The sign of Jonah is not flashy; it is buried in pain. It is found in the three long days when it seemed all hope was lost — when even Jesus was wrapped in death. And yet, it is the greatest sign of all: that love goes to the deepest places, and still rises. That God does not always answer with thunder, but with resurrection. And I realize now, the times when I thought God was most absent were the very moments He was drawing me into His mystery. Not to impress me, but to transform me. Faith is not built on signs; it is born from surrender. Like the people of Nineveh who heard a prophet and changed their lives, I am learning — still learning — to listen with my heart instead of my eyes. When God seems silent, I look to the Cross and I see the loudest message of love ever spoken. And in the echo of the empty tomb, I find this truth: The greatest sign was never in the sky, but in the Savior who died and rose again — for me. Blessings Fr. Jhack