Lenten Reflections 2017

Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent
Reading 1 Is 65:17-21
Gospel Jn 4:43-54
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.
Meditation:
From Capernaum to Cana a desperate journey was made by a distraught father of a dying son. Hope was all he had that maybe he could convince this Jesus to come with him and maybe his son would not die. He was a royal official and could have sent messengers but he decided to go personally to make the appeal even if it meant leaving that very son.
He pleaded twice and never got the answer he wanted. The first answer on not believing unless you see a sign and the second: "you may go; your son will live" seems slightly dispassionate on Jesus's part. He simply did not appear to even want to be with this man.
But the man believed and left for the long journey back with no Jesus in tow but his hope bolstered and his faith renewed. And his son was healed just as Jesus had said.
At this point the words we say at Mass: "but only say the word and my soul shall be healed" come rushing in.
Whenever I find myself in anxious situations I often look for a sign that God is with me in order to believe. Today I will trust: "but only say the word".
This is the word of God in the first reading:
"Thus says the LORD: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. Instead, there shall always be rejoicing and happiness in what I create"
Lent is about carrying a cross not unto death but unto life.
Peace.