Monday, March 31, 2025 - 4th Week of Lent - Mon
[Isa 65:17-21 and John 4:43-54]
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. [John]
How often have we said: "Take my word for it?" What has usually been the response? Was it a hesitant "Well, if YOU say so?" Or "Well, if you SAY so?" In the Gospel According to John, Jesus issues the basic challenge: "Take my word for it!" The emphasis in this gospel is on the response of faith to Jesus' word and signs. The similar stories in Matthew 8:5-13 and Luke 7:1-10 (the healing of the centurion's servant) focus on healing from a distance and the contrast between Gentile and Jewish faith. In the story from the Gospel According to John, the emphasis is on the response to Jesus' word. The important lines are: "The man believed what Jesus said to him and left" and "[H]e and his whole household came to believe."
Faith in "word and sign" are at the root of our whole sacramental tradition. In the Eucharist, for example, we hear Jesus' own words spoken in regard to the bread and wine that are offered. We take his word for it that these elements become his Body and Blood. The sixth chapter of the Gospel According to John speaks to this response in faith. But all the sacraments are founded on taking Jesus' word that these events are encounters with him and his ministry. He himself is the sacrament - the sign and the word. We continue his ministry as the Body of Christ: "Do this in remembrance of me." Every sacrament is not just a remembrance of a past event but is a present encounter with Jesus' word and sign. Our faith is based on taking his word for it. AMEN
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