Yet the Galileans welcomed him when he arrived, because of all the things which he
had done in Jerusalem during the Festival, and which they had seen. For they, too,
had gone to the feast. Jesus went back to Cana of Galilee, where he had changed
the water into wine. At Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill, and when
he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and asked him to come
and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. Jesus said, “Unless you see signs
and wonders, you will not believe!” The official said, “Sir, come down before my child
dies.” And Jesus replied, “Go, your son lives!” The man had faith in the word that Jesus
spoke to him, and went his way. As he was approaching his house, his servants met
him, and gave him the good news, “Your son has recovered!” So he asked them at what
hour the child began to recover, and they said to him, “The fever left him yesterday, at
about one o’clock in the afternoon.” And the father realized that that was the time when
Jesus had told him, “Your son lives!” And he became a believer, he and all his family.
Jesus performed this second miraculous sign when he returned from Judea to Galilee.
Reflect
“Believe and receive the salvation.” In the Gospel of John, signs refer to the miracles
performed by Jesus. In the same Gospel, there are seven signs. The first of these signs
is the miracle performed by Jesus during a wedding at Cana when Jesus turned the
water into wine. The second sign tells of the healing of the son of an official also at Cana
in Galilee. The first and the second signs are commonly described as Jesus’ miracles “from
Cana to Cana.” Today’s Gospel narrates the second sign, after Jesus moved from Judea
and returned to Galilee. The Gospel of John narrates Jesus to be always on the move.
Nevertheless, Jesus was not moving from place to place for nothing. He would reach
out to people while bringing them salvation. The purpose of Jesus’ signs is for people
to believe and receive the salvation he offers. In our journey of faith, it may happen that
we think we are already reaching out to others but, in reality, still bound by the shackles
of the desire to save oneself alone. As we continue our Lenten journey, may we reach
out to others in a manner that will truly bring God’s salvation in the world today.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2024