Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent, March 31, 2025

Gospel

John 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

This quote from the Gospel stood out to me, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” It made me wonder…why is that so wrong? Isn't that a natural response to want proof before believing something? That question led me back to the story of doubting Thomas, who refused to believe in Jesus' resurrection until he could see and touch His wounds. Thomas struggled with faith because he needed physical proof, just like the people in this passage.

However, the more I thought about it, seeing miracles does not equate to having faith. Faith is not about seeing first, it's trusting first. Miracles may strengthen or reinforce belief, but true faith must exist even when there is no visible signs. It means trusting in God even when prayers seem unanswered, even when we do not see immediate proof of His presence. Which is why I found this story, and the one of Thomas, to show a greater depth of Jesus’ mercy and generosity than I first realized. Even though faith should not depend on signs, He still offers them. He understands our doubts and weaknesses, and He meets us where we are, calling us to something greater…a faith built not on signs and wonders, but on trust in Him alone.