Thomas Lima csc –
Readings: Is 65: 17-21; Jn 4: 43-54
The first reading speaks of God’s promise to create a new heaven and a new earth, where the former things of sorrow, pain, and death will be no more. God will make Jerusalem a joy and its people a delight, and they will enjoy the fruit of their labour and the blessing of God’s presence. This passage is a source of hope and comfort for God’s people who have suffered exile, oppression, and injustice. It also invites us to imagine and participate in God’s vision of a renewed creation, where peace, justice, and harmony prevail.
The gospel tells the story of how Jesus healed the son of a royal official who was dying in Capernaum. The official travelled from Capernaum to Cana, where Jesus was, and begged him to come and heal his son. Jesus asked him to go back, for his son would live. The official believed Jesus’ word and returned home, where he found out that his son had recovered at the exact hour that Jesus had spoken to him. This was the second sign that Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.
Both the readings of the day challenge us to trust in Jesus’ word, even when we do not see the evidence of his work. They also invite us to reflect on the signs that Jesus has done in our lives.