7  SIGNS

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 4^th Monday in  Lent  is, “7 SIGNS”.

7 is a neat number - especially for lining up ideas - or thoughts - or learnings or experiences. It's like 3 or 10. Today I'm going with a 7 - as in 7 Signs.

Scripture scholars like to make mention of the 7 Signs of Jesus from the Gospel of John.

In today’s gospel, John writes of the healing of the Royal Official’s Son. Today’s gospel ends this way:  “Now this was the second sign Jesus did when he came to Galilee from Judea.” [Cf. John 4: 54]

The miracle of the water made into wine at the wedding feast of Cana is listed as the first of the signs of Jesus. [Cf. John 2: 1-11]

That’s two. Then scholars add 5 more:

The Healing of the Paralyzed Man the Pool at Bethesda John 5: 1-15

The Feeding of the 5000 in John 6: 5-14.

Jesus walks on  Water in  John 6: 16-24.

Jesus Heals the Blind Man John 9: 1-7.

Jesus raises Lazarus from the Dead John 11: 1-45.

That’s 7.

Other scholars differ. They add  the big catch of fish or the death and resurrection or the cleansing of the temple.

TWO SUGGESTIONS

Go through the 4 gospels and pick your 7 favorite signs.

It might be the healing of the Story of the Woman at the Well or the Return of the Prodigal Son or the Eucharist at the Last Supper.

The second suggestion. This would be more like  homework. People sometimes tell me that they do the  homework that I assign.

Here is my second suggestion.

Pick 7 signs of God’s love for you or 7 signs of your love for God.  

It could be being born - the gift of life - or your meeting your husband or it could be your 50^th anniversary or it could be the birth of a child.

Or it could be a child coming back to God or  to the church.

It could be a trip to Rome or the Holy Land, Fatima or Lourdes.

CONCLUSION

That’s it. It’s an easy homily. But it could be tough if you do some homework.  

Jot down 7 signs that you’re alive - or 7 signs that you’re happy or whatever. Go for it.