Gospel Reading for March 31, 2025 – John 4: 43-54
TRULY VERY IMPRESSIVE
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.
————
Jesus was rejected in his hometown, hence, was not able to perform many miracles there (Matthew 13: 53-58). But in Galilee, he was very much welcome, hence, so many miracles happened there.
It is very clear that Faith is most important if we want a a miracle to happen. The Faith of the royal official was TRULY VERY IMPRESSIVE. He requested Jesus to go to his house to heal his dying son, but Jesus just told him to go and his son will live. He did not insist that Jesus’ presence was important. He just believed him, and the miracle happened.
This is what Faith is all about. It has no impositions or conditions. It is open to anything.
Let us remember what Jesus says in Matthew 17: 20 – “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
May our prayer today be this song written by David Foster, and sung by Andrea Bocelli and Katherine Jenkins, I BELIEVE –
One day I’ll hear the laugh of children
in a world where war has been banned.
One day I’ll see men of all colours
sharing words of love and devotion.
Stand up and feel the Holy Spirit
find the power of your faith.
Open you heart to those who need you
in the name of love and devotion.
Yes I believe!
I believe in the people of all nations
to join and to care for love.
I believe in a world where light will guide us
and giving our love,
we’ll make heaven on earth.
I believe!
