[stephenkhoo]

FAITH IN JESUS CHALLENGED
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ISA 65:17-21; PS 30:2,4-6,11-13; JN 4:43-54 ]

The first reading from Trito-Isaiah written after the exile was one of great hope for Israel. “Thus says the Lord: Now I create new heavens and a new earth, and the past will not be remembered, and will come no more to men’s minds. Be glad and rejoice for ever and ever for what I am creating, because I now create Jerusalem ‘Joy’ and her people ‘Gladness’. I shall rejoice over Jerusalem and exult in my people.” Indeed, for those in exile who have just returned, they needed encouragement to rebuild the Temple and Jerusalem which were in ruins. But faith would be needed as the challenges of rebuilding were very daunting due to the lack of resources, skills and manpower, as many of the elite of Israel had already settled comfortably in Babylon and did not want to return home.

Even more unbelievable was Isaiah’s prophecy of a long life without sufferings. There would be peace and harmony among all peoples. “No more will the sound of weeping or the sound of cries be heard in her; in her, no more will be found the infant living a few days only, or the old man not living to the end of his days. To die at the age of a hundred will be dying young; not to live to be a hundred will be the sign of a curse. They will build houses and inhabit them, plant vineyards and eat their fruit.” Such hopes were unimaginable.

Faith is necessary for God to realize His plans for us in our lives. This is why, as we enter the second phase of the season of Lent, the focus is no longer on the spiritual exercises but a growing faith in Jesus as the Saviour of the world. God wants to give us not just physical life but eternal life. Today’s gospel text is a continuation of what St John wants to underscore. In Nicodemus’ conversation with Jesus, it was revealed that he was seeking new life. Jesus told him that one must be born again by water and the spirit. This is of course an allusion to the Sacrament of Baptism in the early Church and which we will celebrate again at Easter or renewal of our baptismal vows. But this sacrament of baptism presupposes faith in Jesus. Jesus said to Nicodemus, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (Jn 3:14-16)

The importance of faith in Jesus is the whole purpose of John’s gospel. Faith in Christ is underscored at the beginning and end of John’s gospel. Already in chapter 1, John warned us. “The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. He came to his own home, and his own people received him not. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (Jn 1:9-13) Right at the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry, St John already showed how the early disciples had faith in Jesus. The call of Andrew and John was followed by Peter, Philip and Nathaniel.

The height of faith that is exemplary and considered the first sign of Christ manifesting Himself is the miracle at Cana when Jesus changed water into wine. Mary in faith believed in the Lord without questioning. And thus, the evangelist surmised, “This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory; and his disciples believed in him.” (Jn 2:11) The conversion of the Woman of Samaria at the well was possible only because she came to grow in faith in our Lord, from perceiving him as a prophet, then the Messiah, then the Christ and finally as the Saviour of the world. (Jn 4:1-42). Again, we must not miss out on the significance of the well because like the miracle at Cana, water is a symbol of baptism and the giving of the Spirit.

In today’s gospel, we have the account of the healing of the son of the Court Official who was at the point of death. John took pains to underscore that “he went again to Cana in Galilee, where he had changed the water into wine.” Faith in Jesus is again emphasized for healing and restoration of life. Jesus requires us to have faith in Him if we want to find fulness of life. He can only give life to those who have faith in Him. But it is not merely faith in His power to work miracles but faith in His person. Indeed, this was the case of the Court Official. He went from Capernaum to see Jesus in Galilee, travelling two days to seek healing for his sick son. The fact that he was a Court Official and that he humbled himself to go all the way to Galilee to see an itinerant preacher who was a carpenter demonstrated his faith in Jesus and his humility. Others would have laughed at him. This is so true even today! How many so-called famous and powerful people, politicians or celebrities would risk tarnishing their reputation and be seen as naïve and silly to profess their faith publicly in Jesus? Indeed, in the world today, intelligent people believe in themselves and not in God!

Upon seeing Jesus, he was humiliated further when he suffered a reproof from our Lord who remarked, “So you will not believe unless you see signs and portents!” Some scholars suggested that this remark was addressed to the Jewish bystanders because they were the ones who did not accept Him when He returned to His hometown as we read in the gospel. Just before today’s text, the evangelist noted, “Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast, for they too had gone to the feast.” (Jn 4:44f) Even so, the Court Official might have felt that it was directed at him as well. Perhaps so because the Lord wanted to stretch his faith further just as he did with the Syrophoenician woman. (cf Mk 7:24-30)

It is important for faith believers that we should not rely simply on miracles and portents alone. Whilst sometimes the Lord is compassionate to those who ask for signs and miracles in order to believe in Him, yet this is not the kind of faith that can give us fullness of life. There are many people who chase after miracles, healings and apparitions. This kind of faith is not faith in the Lord. Such faith is unstable and lacks depth. Beyond miracles, it is faith in Him and in His teachings, obeying His commandments that can give us life. “If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me does not keep my words; and the word which you hear is not mine but the Father who sent me.” (Jn 14:23f)

This was what the Court Official did by showing His faith in the Lord and at His word! He obeyed the Lord and went home trusting in what the Lord said, “Go home, your son will live.’ The man believed what Jesus had said and started on his way; and while he was still on the journey back his servants met him with the news that his boy was alive.” Simply on the basis of Jesus’ word, he went home confident that his son would live. He was no longer anxious or worried. True enough, when he enquired of his servants, he was told that “the fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour” which was exactly the time when Jesus said his son would live. Faith in our Lord clearly is what will enable us to live, a faith that is not merely superstitious, spectacular or sensational but personal and practical. It is a living faith expressed in obedience to the Word of God that is truly a faith that can save us.

Today, we are called to demonstrate this faith. We note that it was the faith of the Court Official that led to his household believing in Christ as well. It is of utmost importance to remember that our faith will impact others. If our faith lacks depth, we cannot expect others to find faith in the Lord. Only a living faith, an experiential faith in Christ’s love and power in our lives, can convince others to find faith in Him. Indeed, if our unbelieving spouse, in-laws or children are to be converted, it will depend on those who have faith. We must start living our faith in their presence and let them see God’s grace at work in our lives. Only then can the seed of faith be sown. Often if our non-believing members of our family are not converted, it is because we ourselves have not been truly converted!