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Readings: Isaiah 65:17-21; John 4:43-54, Psalm 30
Today's readings bring us to the second of the great signs that John records as evidence of the
messianic nature of Christ's life and ministry. The Church links it with a messianic prophecy in
Isaiah.
This should remind all of us that our work for justice and peace has more than a temporal
dimension, that what we see before us is not all that there is to reality. Rather, our work for
justice and peace is a manifestation of the messianic hope that remains with us, even today, 2000
years after Christ, as we continue to look forward to the Reign of God on Earth, a time when
children will not die prematurely, and all will live to a natural old age in a place without sorrow,
hatred, war, or violence. A most noble ideal, a world that is renewed and healed with rejoicing
and hope.
The sign that John presents is very bold and challenging. We have seen during these Lenten
readings how the poor and rejected are open to the ministry of Christ. Today we learn that it is
possible for the rich and powerful, for this with power, authority, assets, and status, to also open
their hearts to the ministry of Christ. Here we see a Royal Official, who snaps his fingers and
actions are done, humbly coming to Jesus and asking that his son be healed. He believes Christ's
words and goes and finds that in fact, his child had been healed. He and his entire household
came to believe.
Do you suppose his behavior changed? We don't know what he was like before this healing, but
can we expect that his life was never the same again? Did his manner of life change so that he
exercised his authority in a just manner? These are questions we can't answer, but if this man
and his household did come to believe in Jesus the Messiah, this must have had profound effects
on them and their lifestyle. God's message is to everybody, and that includes those with power,
assets, authority, and status. All are called to come to Jesus in humility and poverty of spirit.
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