November 20, 2022
March 28, 2022
Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent
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.
When I sat down and read this Gospel today the first thing to strike me was how many people request that I pray for them.
I’m especially affected when it is someone who doesn’t have a faith life, but they still recognize the power of prayer. How do they come to the belief that my prayers may accomplish something? How do they come to understanding that God can do great things even when they don’t really know him at all? They only know of my God and his works.
That is what hit me today. The royal official from Capernaum didn’t “know” Jesus but had known of him. When his son was dying, he put aside everything and went to this man whom he knew could work miracles. He asked him to come and heal his son before he died. Why? He didn’t seem to follow Jesus. He just trusted – in his heart – that Jesus could do what he had heard of him doing.
It was the official’s form of prayer. “Please heal my son.” It is not unlike someone asking me to intercede for them in prayer to my savior. All Jesus did – everything he did – was through his belief in his Father.
Jesus didn’t go to the child and lay hands on him. He instead showed us that prayer is indeed powerful enough to grant our requests without him having to be physically present. As a little Cajun Lady told me, it is our duty to pray for those who ask.
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.
Isn’t Jesus cool?
At least that’s what I heard Him say…
What I Heard Him Say 