Scripture
Matthew 12: 38-42
Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so for three days and three nights the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth. The people of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah, and see, something greater than Jonah is here! The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and see, something greater than Solomon is here!
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
Ignatian Reflection
Unexpected Signs
In today’s Gospel reading, the scribes and Pharisees ask Jesus for a sign. Their request does not come from a place of faith or sincere desire to know God’s will but from a desire to test and trap him. Knowing their hearts, Jesus rebukes them and tells them that no sign will be given to them.
This reading is both challenging and comforting. Like many of us, I often ask God for confirmation when I’m discerning an important decision. This reading invites me to pause and examine my heart. Am I seeking a sign or confirmation because I genuinely desire God’s direction, or am I hoping God will simply affirm what I’ve already decided? Ignatian spirituality reminds us that true discernment begins with humility, honesty, and openness to God’s will and direction for our lives, even if it leads to an unexpected place. May we seek signs not to satisfy our preferences but to faithfully follow where God is leading us.
—Edith Hudson is a graduate of the Midwest Jesuit's Seminars in Ignatian Formation program, a spiritual director, and the police chief of Marquette University’s Police Department
Ignatian Prayer
Jul 20, 2026
Prayer
Teach me to seek you,
and reveal yourself to me as I seek:
for unless you instruct me
I cannot seek you,
and unless you reveal yourself
I cannot find you.
Let me seek you in desiring you;
let me desire you in seeking you.
Let me find you in loving you;
let me love you in finding you.
—St. Anselm of Canterbury
The Daily Examen is a prayer technique developed by St. Ignatius to help us reflect on the events of the day to discern God's presence and direction. When Ignatius founded the Society of Jesus, he required the Jesuits to practice the Examen twice daily—at noon and at the end of the day. It's a habit that Jesuits, and many other Christians, practice to this day.
The Examen structure presented below is adapted from a technique described by Ignatius Loyola in his Spiritual Exercises. Click here for more information from our partners in ministry at Loyola Press.
Daily Examen
1. Become aware of God's presence
God, I believe that at this moment I am in your presence and you are loving me.
2. Review the day with gratitude
God, you know my needs better than I know them. Give me your light and your help to see how you have been with me, both yesterday and today.
3. Pay attention to your emotions
God, help me to be grateful for the moments when people have affirmed me and challenged me. Help me to see how I have responded, and whether I have been kind to others and open to growth.
4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it
God, forgive me for when I have not done my best or have failed to treat others well. Encourage me, guide me, and continue to bless me.
5. Look toward tomorrow
As I look to the remainder of this day, make me aware that you are with me. Show me how to be the person you want me to be.
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