Isaiah
65:17-21 / John 4:43-54
The man trusted
Jesus.
Years ago, there
was a movie called Quo
Vadis. Starring Deborah Kerr, it dealt with the persecution of
Christians in ancient Rome. One day after a dangerous filming session, a
reporter asked Deborah, “Weren’t you afraid when the lions rushed you in the
arena?” Deborah replied, “Not at all!
I’d read the
script and I knew I’d be rescued.”
This is the kind
of childlike trust that the royal official had in Jesus’ promise: “Your son
will live.”
****
What kind of trust
do we put in the promises of Jesus—promises like “Ask and you will receive” and
“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life,
and I will raise
him on the last day”? Luke 11:9, John 6:54
“If I keep a green
bough in my heart, the Singing bird will come.” Chinese proverb
*****
It is often easier
to talk about concepts and ideas rather than to talk about reality and
experiences. This may sound strange but for those of us who are in the teaching
and presentation business, we find it easier to talk about lofty and high-flown
concepts and ideas. To talk about reality and the human experience would
require some thinking and reflection in order to find the right expressions. In
the gospel, Jesus seemed to be talking about the lofty ideas of faith and
belief rather than to give the people the signs that they need. But the court
official begged Him with these words: Come down, before my child dies. But that
phrase "come down" was not to tell Jesus to stop talking up there in
the air.
Rather it was an open invitation
for Jesus to come and reinforce the faith that the court official had in Jesus.
The court official too had to
"come down" to the essentials of his faith and believe in Jesus, and
to obey Jesus to go home and believe that his son will live.
Even the 1st reading of the
promise of the new heavens and new earth are expressed in the human longing for
joy and gladness.
The season of Lent is to help us
to renew our faith in God.
A renewed faith in the power of
Jesus can bring about in a renewed faith in the wonderful and amazing things
that God will do for us.
A renewed faith combined with the powerful love of Jesus can indeed bring
about forgiveness and healing, which is so much needed in our world. (SY)