There is a strange relationship between signs and faith. Many of us are convinced that faith comes from signs. This kind of belief is dangerous. If faith depends on signs, then as soon as signs end, so does faith.
In fact, seeking signs means one is tempting God. If you are convinced that God is your Father who loves you, and that Jesus gave his life for you, what is the point of asking for more signs? Asking for sings means that, deep down, you do not really believe.
This kind of unbelief very often stems from our pain, from our wounds. The devil builds on it to convince us that God does not exist – or that if he does, he does not really love us. This is the reason Jesus refuses to please the Pharisees:
The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, 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 he left them, and getting into the boat again, he went across to the other side.
Now, it must be said that the Lord gives us evidence of his love. He gives us clear signs of his love and care. But these signs are freely given, and not ours to claim. Often, he grants them precisely when we need them. And who knows our real needs better than Him? Let us let Him do as He wills.
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Father Luigi Maria Epicoco is a priest of the Aquila Diocese and teaches Philosophy at the Pontifical Lateran University and at the ISSR ‘Fides et ratio,’ Aquila. He dedicates himself to preaching, especially for the formation of laity and religious, giving conferences, retreats and days of recollection. He has authored numerous books and articles. Since 2021, he has served as the Ecclesiastical Assistant in the Vatican Dicastery for Communication and columnist for the Vatican’s daily newspaper L’Osservatore Romano.
