The Holy Gospel according to John (4:43-54)
At that time Jesus left [Samaria] for Galilee.
For Jesus himself testified
that a prophet has no honor in his native place.
When he came into Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him,
since they had seen all he had done in Jerusalem at the feast;
for they themselves had gone to the feast.
Then he returned to Cana in Galilee,
where he had made the water wine.
Now there was a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum.
When he heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea,
he went to him and asked him to come down
and heal his son, who was near death.
Jesus said to him,
“Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.”
The royal official said to him,
“Sir, come down before my child dies.”
Jesus said to him, “You may go; your son will live.”
The man believed what Jesus said to him and left.
While the man was on his way back,
his slaves met him and told him that his boy would live.
He asked them when he began to recover.
They told him,
“The fever left him yesterday, about one in the afternoon.”
The father realized that just at that time Jesus had said to him,
“Your son will live,”
and he and his whole household came to believe.
Now this was the second sign Jesus did
when he came to Galilee from Judea.
Reflection: How many times in our life, we are faced with darkness or struggles, or we really want something so, we turn to God in prayer asking for mercy? In our normal life if we typically don’t pray at all then we start to pray and if we do pray on a normal day, then we pray harder. Furthermore, when we pray for something, and we really want it, we want it right now. We all know that Jesus’ ministry is to share His Divine love with everyone, but it wasn’t that easy. There were just as many non-believers as believers. Yes, there were many people that were believers because of what they witnessed but there were many other people that refused to believe at all. They were adamant about opening their minds and souls and allowing that conversion.
In today’s Gospel, it gives the example of this official that maybe wasn’t a believer but immediately became a believer because of his needs. This official had no other solutions for the health of his son, so it was his last-ditch effort to save his son. He was forced to approach Jesus hoping that something good will come from it. This royal official probably didn’t need much because he was rich and powerful therefore, he was probably waited on by his servants. Until that one dreadful day when he had no power over the health of his son. No money or power could save him. This official was driven by desperation and some faith to plead with Jesus to come down and heal his son before he dies. This official had to believe in the Words from Jesus because he had run out of options. I wonder what his journey back to his house must’ve been like not knowing the results.
This passage highlights the importance of faith and trust in God, even when we don’t see immediate results or sign. In today’s scripture the word “Recover” is used. Upon making further enquiries, the father learns that the fever subsided just at the moment when Jesus promised that the boy would live (recover). It was also the moment when the man recovered his faith, trusting in Jesus’ word, began his journey home. In this case, the result was almost immediate, but we have to understand that some things, if it’s “Thy Will be Done”, is on Gods time.
We are called to trust in God’s word and power, even when we don’t see immediate result or even when we are not believers, but we are open to conversion and ultimately change. In Johns Gospel, eternal life begins as soon as we attach ourselves in total trust to Jesus and to his Way. This Lenten season is a good time for us to renew our pledge to walk along his Way and to ask for a deep level of faith to do so. That way we can all “Recover”.
Action of the Day: What do you struggle with the most right now? Are there sins from your past that you have never confessed? Are there ongoing sins that you justify, ignore and are afraid to face? Take courage and know that honest humility is the road to freedom and the only way to experience justification before God.
Audio Reflection:
