Gospel Reflection For The 11th day of March in the year of Our Lord, 2024
Gospel
John 4:43-54
43 Now after two days, he departed thence, and went into Galilee. 44 For Jesus himself gave testimony that a prophet hath no honour in his own country. 45 And when he was come into Galilee, the Galileans received him, having seen all the things he had done at Jerusalem on the festival day; for they also went to the festival day.
46 He came again therefore into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain ruler, whose son was sick at Capharnaum. 47 He having heard that Jesus was come from Judea into Galilee, went to him, and prayed 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 believe not. 49 The ruler saith to him: Lord, come down before that my son die. 50 Jesus saith to him: Go thy way; thy son liveth. The man believed the word which Jesus said to him, and went his way.
51 And as he was going down, his servants met him; and they brought word, saying, that his son lived. 52 He asked therefore of them the hour wherein he grew better. And they said to him: Yesterday, at the seventh hour, the fever left him. 53 The father therefore knew, that it was at the same hour that Jesus said to him, Thy son liveth; and himself believed, and his whole house. 54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judea into Galilee.
There is a stark difference between how our Lord was treated in His home town and how He was received in Galilee. It seems that these people fully believed in His power to work miracles. Whether or not they fully believed that Jesus was the Messiah or in His divinity is less clear. They certainly knew that a great prophet was among them and they believed in Him. They celebrated His arrival.
Today’s first reading fulfills what was mentioned in yesterday’s – when Jerusalem had been destroyed and the People of God taken captive into Babylon as slaves. When they repented and reformed, God returned them to the Promised Land with joy and celebration. He forgave them their sins and gave them a new chance… but, He promised something more that would come only through Jesus Christ, “Lo, I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; The things of the past shall not be remembered or come to mind.”
Along with the Jews, and through adoption in Jesus, we are heirs to that promise, as well. The Jews awaited the Messiah to fulfill these promises of peace, joy, hope and plenty. He came, but not in the way they expected. When He comes again, at the end of time, all creation that is subject to corruption through the sins of our first parents and suffers along with us in our fallen nature, will pass away… and rise anew, perfect and immortal, full of holy joy in the Kingdom of God. That is why, no matter our fears and the troubles we are promised, we say along with Saint John, “Even so, come Lord Jesus!”
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Gospel passages are taken from the Douay Rheims Bible.