Signs Point to the Source of Hope

The readings for this homily

In life, we rely on signs to navigate our world. They tell us where we are, how far we must travel, and which direction to take. Without them, we are lost. God, too, uses signs of a different sort to guide us, some written, some unwritten, revealing His presence and power in ways that transcend the ordinary. Saint Patrick, whose liturgical feast we celebrate today, famously used the shamrock, a simple three-petaled leaf, to shed light on the mystery of the Holy Trinity — one God in three Persons.

During Lent, we are called to examine our lives, recognize our sins, and convert in an annual course correction. Yet there is a danger in remaining excessively fixated on our own misery. If we only look inward, we risk despair. True Lenten conversion requires shifting our gaze from our own failures to the infinite mercy of Christ. As the “Diary” of St. Faustina reminds us, Jesus speaks constantly of our misery, but also of His mercy. The goal of the Christian life is not to wallow in self-recrimination, but to trust in Divine Mercy. We must take our eyes off our own brokenness and fix them on the One who heals.

In the Gospel, Jesus performs a sign at the Pool of Bethesda. For 38 years, a man lay lame, waiting for the water to stir, hoping to be the first to enter and be healed. It was a desperate race, a competition for a cure. But Jesus does not ask him to compete. He does not tell him to run faster. Instead, He speaks a word of power: "Rise, take up your mat and walk." The man is instantly healed. He does not need the pool; he needs the Person of Jesus.

This miracle is one of the great signs in the Gospel of John. Scholars often count seven signs, symbolizing perfection, but some argue for an eighth, representing the new creation and eternity. The signs escalate in power: from changing water to wine, to healing the sick, to raising the dead. Each sign points to a greater reality: Jesus is the Light of the World, the Bread of Life, and the Resurrection. The ultimate sign is the Cross and the Resurrection, where Jesus conquers sin and death forever.

Yet, signs divide. Some accept them and believe; others reject them, clinging to legalism rather than grace. The religious leaders of the time were angry not because a man was healed, but because it happened on the Sabbath. They valued their rules over the miracle of life. They were spiritually blind to the presence of God right in front of them. This is the warning for us today. When we see the signs of God's mercy, do we rejoice, or do we find reasons to doubt?

Jesus tells the healed man, "Do not sin any more, so that nothing worse may happen to you." This connects physical healing with spiritual restoration. God desires to heal our souls first, for a healed body means little if the soul remains dead in sin. But once the soul is alive, the body follows. The man who was lame for decades walked away, likely dancing with joy, carrying his mat as a testament to the power of Christ.

Let us not be like the Pharisees, blinded by our own expectations. Let us be like the man at the pool, ready to rise when Jesus speaks. Let us embrace the signs He gives us, trusting that He is the source of all hope. Whether through the simplicity of a shamrock, the mystery of the Trinity, or the profound mercy shown to the broken, God is speaking. Will we listen? Will we believe?