Gospel Thought For Today Monday 23 March 2020

Dear Friends,

United with each one of you in prayer and love. I have remembered you in my Mass today. The Mass Intention, was for the soul of Mary Newham, RIP.

In our Gospel reading today we find Jesus in Cana where He had previously made the well-known miracle of changing the water into wine. Now, on this occasion, He performs a new miracle: the recovery of a royal official’s son. In spite of how spectacular Jesus’ first miracle was, this second miracle is, undoubtedly, more valuable, for what Jesus solves with this miracle is nothing material, but a problem of a human life. What is so remarkable in this case is that Jesus does not need go to Capernaum to directly heal the sick boy; He performs the miracle without moving from Cana:

And we as individuals, families and communities are being asked to keep our distance of up to two meters away from one and another! In order to keep one, another safe from the Cornavirus! What today’s Gospel is teaching us, is we do not need to be physically present to each other: all we have to do is hold each other in our hearts. Just like Jesus held this young boy in his heart. We too need to hold all those who will love in our hearts, in this moment and time. We can do all of this in the sacredness of our own spiritual being!

Why can I be so confident you can do it?

Because the official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies”. And Jesus replied, “Go, your son is living”. The man had faith in the word that Jesus spoke to him and he went on his way. And as he was almost home, his servants met him and said your son is healed. Immediately the Master asked at what time did this happen? Yesterday evening Sir, was the reply. And the Master knew it was at the hour Jesus, had spoken to him.

Let us like this royal official, put our total trust and faith in our friend Jesus, that he will do for us what, he has done for this servant of his, who trusted in him.

My friends, place your faith and trust in Jesus, who desires so much to heal our brokenness with the power of his Fathers love!

I pray that God will give you all the graces and blessings that you need for the journey ahead!

United in prayer and love!

Fr John