Go home your son will live. Jn. 4:50

Monday of the Fourth Week in Lent
Go home, your son will live. (Jn 4:50) ....

Monday of the Fourth week of LentMonday, 11 March 2013

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 4:43-54. Now there was a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum.

The Gospel of John: a commentary & meditation 

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Jesus rescues a court official's son

http://www.rc.net/wcc/words.htm 

Scripture:  John 4:43-54

Pool of Nahal David in the Judean wilderness
, Ein Gedi, Israel

43 After the two days he departed to Galilee. 44 For Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. 45 So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast, for they too had gone to the feast. 46 So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Caper'na-um there was an official whose son was ill. 47 When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 Jesus therefore said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe." 49 The official said to him, "Sir, come down before my child dies."     http://www.rc.net/wcc/art/gallery2.htm    50 Jesus said to him, "Go; your son will live." The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went his way. 51 As he was going down, his servants met him nd told him that his son was living. 52 So he asked them the hour when he began to mend, and they said to him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him." 53 The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live"; and he himself believed, and all his household. 54 This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.
Meditation: Do you approach the Lord Jesus with expectant faith for healing, pardon, and transformation in Christ-like holiness? Jesus’ miracles are signs that manifest the presence and power of God’s kingdom. When a high ranking official, who was very likely from King Herod's court, heard the reports of Jesus’ preaching and miracles, he decided to seek Jesus out for an extraordinary favor. If this story happened today the media headlines would probably say: "High ranking official leaves capital in search of miracle cure from a small town carpenter."
It took raw courage for a high ranking court official to travel twenty miles in search of Jesus, the Galilean carpenter. He had to swallow his pride and put up with some ridicule from his cronies. And when he found the healer carpenter, Jesus seemed to put him off with the blunt statement that people would not believe unless they saw some kind of miracle or sign from heaven. Jesus likely said this to test the man to see if his faith was in earnest. If he turned away discouraged or irritated, he would prove to be insincere. Jesus, perceiving his faith, sent him home with the assurance that his prayer had been heard. It was probably not easy for this man to leave Jesus and go back home only with the assuring word that his son would be healed. Couldn't Jesus have come to this man's home and touched his dying child? The court official believed in Jesus and took him at his word without doubt or hesitation. He was ready to return home and face ridicule and laughter because he trusted in Jesus' word. God's mercy shows his generous love – a love that bends down in response to our misery and wretchedness. Is there any area in your life where you need healing, pardon, change, and restoration? If you seek the Lord with trust and expectant faith, he will not disappoint you. He will meet you more than half way and give you what you need. The Lord Jesus never refused anyone who put their trust in him. Surrender your doubts and fears, your pride and guilt at his feet, and trust in his saving word and healing love.
"Lord Jesus, your love never fails and your mercy is unceasing. Give me the courage to surrender my stubborn pride, fear and doubts to your surpassing love, wisdom and knowledge. Make be strong in faith, persevering in hope, and constant in love."

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Spirituality > Devotions > Lent > Week 4

Monday of the Fourth Week in Lent

Go home, your son will live. (Jn 4:50)

Prayer for the week In you, Jesus, Lord of all, our hope is sure and eternal. In your death is the promise of life, in your suffering is the faithfulness of God. Keep us safe in times of trouble, keep us caring for others in trouble; and when we care for each other, may we know you, Lord of life, friend of all, now and forever. Amen. Reflection for the day The miracles of Jesus worked at different levels. One is the physical level, as when a young man was cured of terminal illness. We often pray for cures like that, and sometimes the prayer is answered. But the prayer is always answered on another level. People who work with the very ill say that often with the weakening of the body, there is a strengthening of the soul. Trust, love, forgiveness, even care for others grow. It’s as if something of eternal life is beginning in the soul of someone very ill. Even when we are very ill, we are still growing. We can in fact communicate a love of life right to the end and our death is remembered as our final gift. We are alive to the end. Our prayer for health is always answered in some way. Action for the weekSpeak kindly of people this week. All the texts in this Lent series are taken from Donal Neary, S.J., Praying in Lent: day by day during Lent (The Columba Press, Dublin 2002). To purchase this text, go to www.columba.ie.