GOSPEL - Jn 4:43-54
At that time Jesus left [Samaria] for Galilee. For Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his native place. When he came into Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, since they had seen all he had done in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves had gone to the feast. Then he returned to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. Now there was a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, who was near death. Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” The royal official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Jesus said to him, “You may go; your son will live.”
The man believed what Jesus said to him and left. While the man was on his way back, his slaves met him and told him that his boy would live. He asked them when he began to recover. They told him, “The fever left him yesterday, about one in the afternoon.” The father realized that just at that time Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live,” and he and his whole household came to believe. Now this was the second sign Jesus did when he came to Galilee from Judea.
The man believed what Jesus said to him and left. While the man was on his way back, his slaves met him and told him that his boy would live. He asked them when he began to recover. They told him, “The fever left him yesterday, about one in the afternoon.” The father realized that just at that time Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live,” and he and his whole household came to believe. Now this was the second sign Jesus did when he came to Galilee from Judea.
O My God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, because of Thy just punishments, but most of all, because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasions of sin. Amen.
Monday is dedicated to the Holy Spirit & the Holy Souls in Purgatory
STUDY - An excerpt from Link to Liturgy Lesson Faith: Seed, Root, Fruit (Sacraments)
Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” The signs and wonders were important and perhaps necessary for the faith of the Galileans. We perhaps have not seen signs and wonders, yet we still believe. This believe - faith - is due to the many graces given to us by Jesus Christ and His Church, especially the graces which are given in the Sacraments. As the Galileans grew in faith due to signs in wonders, let us grow in faith due to the Sacraments.
Each Tuesday night during Night Prayer the Church prays, “Stay sober and alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, solid in your faith.” [1] This verse is so important to the Church, that the Church reminds the faithful of the verse at least weekly. Why? We are in a battle and Satan would like to devour our soul, the only way to resist is through faith. It is in the faith that we are firm. Saint Gregory the Great gives a wonderful analogy of how this happens.
How are the Sacraments, like the growth of a seed into a tree? “A root is produced from the seed, a shoot from the root, fruit from the shoot; and a seed is produced in the fruit. Let us say, then, that the seed lies hidden within the seed.” [2] The seed is baptism, the seed of baptism must be “firm” through Confirmation which digs into the soil of grace like a root making the seed firm. Confirmation is also like the shoot, which takes the seed from the darkness of the soil into the world, a personal Pentecost which shoots up, pointing to heaven and evangelizing the world. The fruits of the Holy Spirit are produced and from the fruit come forth a seed. This seed is the Eucharist, which is nourishment for the world as well as sacrifice “unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” [3]
Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” The signs and wonders were important and perhaps necessary for the faith of the Galileans. We perhaps have not seen signs and wonders, yet we still believe. This believe - faith - is due to the many graces given to us by Jesus Christ and His Church, especially the graces which are given in the Sacraments. As the Galileans grew in faith due to signs in wonders, let us grow in faith due to the Sacraments.
Each Tuesday night during Night Prayer the Church prays, “Stay sober and alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, solid in your faith.” [1] This verse is so important to the Church, that the Church reminds the faithful of the verse at least weekly. Why? We are in a battle and Satan would like to devour our soul, the only way to resist is through faith. It is in the faith that we are firm. Saint Gregory the Great gives a wonderful analogy of how this happens.
How are the Sacraments, like the growth of a seed into a tree? “A root is produced from the seed, a shoot from the root, fruit from the shoot; and a seed is produced in the fruit. Let us say, then, that the seed lies hidden within the seed.” [2] The seed is baptism, the seed of baptism must be “firm” through Confirmation which digs into the soil of grace like a root making the seed firm. Confirmation is also like the shoot, which takes the seed from the darkness of the soil into the world, a personal Pentecost which shoots up, pointing to heaven and evangelizing the world. The fruits of the Holy Spirit are produced and from the fruit come forth a seed. This seed is the Eucharist, which is nourishment for the world as well as sacrifice “unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” [3]
[1] 1 Peter 5:8-9
[2] Magnificat, Vol. 12, No. 8 – From Forty Gospel Homilies
[3] John 12:24
