Gospel Reading: Jn 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 he 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 Unless you people see signs and wonders
The Gospel shows how faith is very powerful or, rather, how Jesus’ power is revealed in response to the request of a royal official who has faith in Jesus.
The official’s son is at the point of death. Most religious leaders witness Jesus’ signs but do not believe in him. But this official is different. He is more like Jairus (cf Mk 5:21-43; Mt 9:18-26; Lk 8:40-56) and the centurion (cf Mt 8:5-13; Lk 7:1-10) in the Synoptic gospels. These persons are in positions of power and authority but are very receptive to Jesus and do not doubt his power to respond to their needs.
As Jesus says, even faith as tiny as a mustard seed can move mountains (cf Mt 17:20). When we believe, we put ourselves entirely in the hands of God and are convinced that with God nothing is impossible. Of course, not everything we ask for we receive, because God knows our entire life and what is best for us.
Faith is a conviction, not a mere feeling or a leap into the unknown because it is our last resort. Faith is based on our certainty that God can do all things and wills only our good.
Do we judge people’s credibility by their works or by their socio-economic status?
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SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord,” ST PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.
