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Gospel: John 4:43-53
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.
The Gospel of the Lord.
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It’s been said the most profound anguish a human being can experience is the death of a child.
In today’s Gospel, a desperate father approaches Jesus, begging him to heal his son. Adding to the anguish of the story, this man has traveled from Capernaum to Cana in search of the Lord, a wrenching 20-mile journey.
Imagine walking – or likely running – that distance, knowing your child is deathly ill at home. Time is of the essence.
Upon finding Jesus, this father begs him for a miracle. So, the Lord tells him plainly, “You may go; your son will live.” This father believes what Jesus says and begins his journey home – a journey filled with incredible hope.
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That 20-mile return – some 40,000 steps – serves as a beautiful image of the Christian life.
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Our Christian journey begins at baptism, when we first encounter Christ. This divine encounter is meant to forever change our perspective on life, as Jesus assures us, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved.”
The rest of our days are meant to be like that father walking home. The anxiety and fear he once experienced looking for Jesus have been replaced by hope. And when he arrived home, his entire house came to believe – a sign that faith was spreading.
Lent is a time for us to consider, how is my own faith journey going? Am I like that father anxiously searching for healing, searching for God? Or have I had an encounter with Christ that has forever changed my perspective?
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May the Lord stir up the waters of baptism within us, guiding our feet into the way of peace.
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Image credits: (1) Church Sermon Series Ideas (2) Baptism of Christ, David Zalenka, 2005 (3) A Deeper Word