FOURTH WEEK OF LENT
Is 65: 17-21
Ps 30:2,4. 5-6. 11-12a. 13b (R. 2a)
Jn 4: 43-54
The readings of today offer a message hope and healing, in particular. We all need healing in one way or the other, spiritual or physical. Our world at all point in time always needed and will always need healing. Todays’ pandemic is just but one among many ills that we are so desperately in need of. Our bodies, our spirits, our relationships, and the work of our hands all need healing.
The message of the gospel, unlike that of the first reading, tells us of an official who had probably never met Jesus but was hopeful. Upon hearing that Jesus was in town, he went and sought him. As an official he could have very well asked someone, a servant most probably to go and look for Jesus. This is an attitude worth admiring and imitating. It tells of the humility that this official had.
We often turn to behave like the people of Israel because we have experienced the love and mercy of the Lord in our life but still do not have the faith manifested by this official. We meet Jesus, The Healer, in the sacraments of healing, that is, Confession and Anointing of the sick. Do we show the faith of this official, when it comes to the way we receive these sacraments? Probably not. The worst part of it is that most of us think we do not need them.
When was the last time you had your confession?
Have you ever received the Anointing of the sick?
Most of us think that we need to seek them only when the situation turns desperate. If we can daily do exercise to make sure our physical bodies are fit, why not do the same for our spirits? Sportsmen know that a single day without practice is a loss against body fitness. In the same manner we lose a lot we do not journey in faith and seek for the healing in the sacraments. The message of Lent invites us to seek healing from the effects of our sins.
He is always waiting for us to take a step towards Him that he may heal us and make us clean. God has promised, He is faithful: procrastination will only leave us in the state out of grace. Let us go and meet Him in faith and hope.
May your grace be with us O Lord that we hear your voice in The Word and meet you through the Sacraments.
Amen.
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