In John’s Gospel Jesus performs signs and wonders, also called extraordinary deeds or miracles in the other Gospels. These signs lead to faith but ultimately faith comes through an encounter with Jesus and looking beyond these signs and wonders. Jesus in John’s Gospel has an ambivalent view of signs as we hear in today’s Gospel: “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.”
Jesus has just “returned to Cana in Galilee, where he made the water wine.” A royal official asks Jesus to heal his slave, and Jesus responds to his request and heals his slave. The Evangelist tells us that this was the “second sign” that Jesus did, the first sign was changing water into wine at Cana in Galilee.
This coming Sunday’s Gospel is the account of Jesus’ raising of Lazarus, Jesus’ greatest sign (John 11). All Jesus’ signs teach us something important about Jesus. He is the “the resurrection and the life,” (11:25), “living water” (4:10), “the Bread of Life” (6:34). In this Gospel we are invited by these signs to move through or beyond physical sustenance or healing to the deeper and spiritual meaning of the identity of Jesus and the revelation of the one true God. This deeper faith comes through encountering Jesus and his word as the Samaritans tell the woman from Samaria: “We no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world.” (4:42).
This encounter with Jesus is ultimately an encounter with God as Jesus teaches his disciples at the Last Supper. As so often in John’s Gospel the spiritual journey of the disciples moves from misunderstanding or partial understand to a fuller and deeper faith. This movement happens through encountering Jesus as the following dialogue brings out:
Jesus: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip: “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
Jesus: “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:6-9).
Today as we see the signs and wonders in our life let us strive to encounter Jesus and come to a deeper knowledge and love for God.
Image: “Christ Healing the Man Born Blind” by Lawrence OP is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.