Not "Seeing is Believing" but Believing without Seeing for Salvation - Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent

For since in the wisdom of God the world did not come to know God through wisdom, it was the will of God through the foolishness of the proclamation to save those who have faith. For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:21-24).

Since we have read 1 Corinthians 1:22-25 for the Second Reading of the Third Sunday of Lent (B), you can easily recall the above words of Paul. He was teaching the Corinthians that the paradox of the Cross cannot be understood and appreciated as it should if you do not believe in Christ unless you see a sign or you seek worldly wisdom to make sense of his teaching.

Like Thomas, we do not believe unless we see a physical sign (John 20:24-29). Or, like Greeks, we do not believe unless it makes sense in terms of worldly wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:22). Though he prefers us to believe even though we do not see a sign (i.e. John 20:29) and wants us to be humble enough for the right wisdom is revealed by the Father (Matthew 11:25-27), Jesus understands that it is difficult for us to believe without signs (i.e. John 20:30).

To guide us to believe in him as the prophesized Messiah, Jesus performed signs. According to John’s Gospel, there are seven signs leading to his death on the Cross and Resurrection.

Today’s Gospel Reading (John 4:43-54) describes how Jesus performed his second sign.

In the first sign, Jesus turned water into the finest wine during wedding banquet at Cana, Galilee (John 2:1-11). Then, he went to Jerusalem for Passover. It was then, he cleansed Temple (John 2:12-17) and was asked:

What sign can you show us for doing this? (John 2:18)

And Jesus answered prophetically:

Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up (John 2:19).

Afterward, Jesus stayed in Jerusalem, and Nichodemus came to see him to learn from him (John 3:1-21). Then, Jesus had the final witness to John the Baptist where he was baptizing in Judea (John 3:22-30). Upon this, Jesus and his disciples were on their way back to Galilee (John 4:3) and met a woman in Samaria (John 4:4-42). Today’s Gospel Reading (John 4:43-54) is the second sign that Jesus made in Cana, Galilee, upon his return from Jerusalem via Samaria.

It was a royal official, who was likely to serve Herod Antipas, asking Jesus to heal his near-death son (John 4:46-47).

In response, Jesus said:

Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe (John 4:48).

By “you people”, Jesus meant the Jews (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:22).

The official asked Jesus to come to his house to heal his son for it would be too late (John 4:49). But, Jesus dismissed him, telling that his son will live, and he believed what Jesus said about his son (John 4:50). The official did not ask for a sing as a proof but just believed.

Because he believed what Jesus said, the official son was healed, and Jesus did not have to come to his house and touch his son (John 5:50-53). 

Today’s Gospel Reading asks us:

Can we believe without seeing a visible sign? Can believe in Jesus only by his words?

We need to ask ourselves this question so that we can truly understand the paradox of the Cross and the meaning of the empty tomb as our Lenten journey will head us to this direction.

For those who believe without seeing a visible sign and make reference to worldly wisdom, God will reveal something great, salvific.

And at least 600 years before  the coming of Jesus, God did it to the Israelites by revealing his saving plan of the Israelites from the Babylonian Captivity, as reflected in today’s First Reading (Isaiah 65:17-21).

As the First Reading (2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23) and the Responsorial Psalm (137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6) reflected, the Israelites lost their beloved holy city, Jerusalem, and the Temple to the Babylonian seize in 587-86 BC. And those who escape Babylonian swords were “deported” from Jerusalem to Babylon. Then, they were in the Babylonian exile for 70 years and lamented this great loss. They cried to God and He heard their cries. And, out of His mercy, God delivered them out of the exile and back to Jerusalem to rebuild with renewed hope. Today’s Gospel Reading (Isaiah 65:17-21) is a prophetic revelation of this renewed hope in a poetic expression. But, no visible sign during the exile. They just had to listen to God’s Word through Isaiah and believe to make it through the time of grief in exile without sinking into despair.

Through today’s the Lenten Scripture Readings, we are called to recognize the necessary wisdom that God reveals through the Word to understand the paradox of the Cross and the mystery of the empty tomb as we complete this Lenten journey meaningfully.

Worldly wisdom may say, "Seeing is believing". But, God's wisdom says, "Believe without seeing" but by paying attention to what God reveals. 

Do we believe that Jesus saves us with or without his tangible and visible presence?

If we do, we are on the right track to appreciate the paradox of the Cross and the mystery of the empty tomb.