Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Wednesday of the 1st week of Lent, March 12, 2025

Delivered by Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Salesian Don Bosco Gerak in the Diocese of Labuan Bajo, Indoensia. Jonah 3: 1-10; Rs psalm 51: 3-4.12-13.18-19; Luke 11: 29-32SIGNS Our meditation today has the theme: Signs. Oursensitivity to signs is part of our character as living beings. Animals havethe instinct to recognize a sign and react to it. Likewise we humans, certainsigns that we find, provide a message for us to respond to. Our reactions canbe positive or negative, good or bad, like or dislike. Life signs are part of our entire communicationprocess. Language as a basic means of communication, in principle, is a signthat expresses the intention of our mind and heart. The world and theenvironment around us, are signs of God expressing His involvement and love tous. In short, our lives desperately need signs so that we can understand allthat exits and that will be coming to our lives.  This world and our lives would be very different, ifGod does not provide all the signs for us. How difficult it is to know andimagine the real God, if He does not use any sign to relate to us. How is itpossible for communication with human beings to occur, if from the beginning oflife there is no language and objects of creation that are signs of God'sconcern for humans? In short, signs are God's way of doing activities inrelating and communicating with us humans. The sign that is the pinnacle ofGod's action and communication to man is the Word of God or His own Son whobecame man. He is Jesus Christ of Nazareth who, according to the biblical description,had lived in the world of Palestine and its surroundings for 30 years of hislife. All of His deeds, ministry, and testimony are signs of God's greatnessand glory, with the ultimate goal being for mankind in the world to turn fromsin, be redeemed, and be saved. The reaction of man to the sign around him is eitherto accept and use it, or reject and destroy the sign. The Lord Jesus haspresented and witnessed Himself as a sign of God Himself, but not all peopleaccepted Him. Some rejected Him, as represented by the Pharisees, the scribesand all their followers. It is possible that there are people around us whobehave like those people in the time of Jesus. In general, we as followers of Christ believe andfollow the message of the signs of God's deeds that are delivered through ourChurch. This Lent is a sign from God through the norms of the Church, so thatwe can persevere in the renewal of ourselves. Prayer, fasting and charity aresigns of spiritual activities that support our conversion.Let us pray. In the name of the Father... O Jesus our goodTeacher, teach us always in self-renewal in this time of repentance. Hail Maryfull of grace ... In the name of the Father...