hypocrisy of scribes and pharisees

DAILY GOSPEL: THE PHARISEES SEEK A SIGN FROM HEAVEN (Mk 8:11–13).

DAILY GOSPEL: 
THE PHARISEES SEEK A SIGN FROM HEAVEN

Monday, 6th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Mk 8:11–13

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.

PERSONAL CONSIDERATION

  • This Gospel passage recounts how the Pharisees, in their desire to discredit Jesus, wanted to test Him and asked Him for a sign from heaven.
  • Jesus sighed from the depth of his spirit expressing his sadness towards the incredulity and hard-heartedness of the Pharisees, who in spite of having witnessed the various miracles He had performed, still remain unbelieving and wanted to ask for more signs, not in order to believe in Him as the Messiah, but in order to tempt Him.
  • Requiring God to do more miracles than what He already revealed to us would be subjecting Him to give an account before our own human judgment. As such, tempting God is a grave sin forbidden by the 1st Commandment (Cf. Compendium, no. 445)
  • We should be careful of this closed attitude which will prevent us from having faith in God. God could only be found, and faith in Him could only be possible when a person truly seeks Him with a humble attitude for no matter how many miracles Jesus might perform, if a person does not open Himself to God, faith in Him would be impossible.
  • Asking help from God in order to fulfill His Will, or to choose the better option among different good and possible choices would be an entirely different matter: it is a manifestation of one’s trust in the Divine Providence which never falters.
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