A reading of the holy Gospel according to Jn 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.
REFLECTION
Jesus said to him, “You may go; your son will live.”
"The man believed what Jesus said to him and left."
Is my faith that strong? I spend many hours praying that God will heal my son, end the war, give graces to my family for conversion and help me mend my sinful ways. God knows everything and He cares for each one of us with an open heart. His Will is always right. I do believe that He will bring about a healing in my heart in my prayers. With time and grace something beautiful will happen in my life.
It is so hard, though, when our hearts are broken, when we face no solution to a problem or when we realize that God's Will is so different from ours.
These are the times for our faith to be as strong as ever. Be still and listen to the silence around you and feel the ever presence of Our Lord, His Mother, St Joseph and all the people we have loved, hugging us, and keeping us company.
And when my prayers are answered or even when they are not, do I say as many thank you's or offer as many oblations or sing songs of praise as I spent hours pleading for my needs?
Persevering prayers- yes! It is faith that carries me through prayer, knowing God is in control. Ours is to believe and act on our belief.
"Blessed is the man who does not lose faith in God."
(Matthew 11:6)
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