DAILY GOSPEL Monday, 31 March 2014 Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 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 he 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. Commentary of the day : Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe? “Whoever examines the majesty of God will be crushed by his glory” (Prv 25,27 Vg). God can do works that pass mans understanding... Faith is required of you and sincerity of life; not high intelligence, nor penetrating knowledge of the mysteries of God. If you do not understand nor grasp what is below you, how will you comprehend what is above you? Be subject to God, submit your feeling to the faith, and the light of knowledge will be given to you as much as you need and can use. Some have grave temptations concerning faith and sacrament; which are not to be imputed to them, but rather to the enemy. Take no notice, do not argue with your thoughts, nor answer the doubts with which the devil attacks you; believe Gods word, believe his saints and prophets, and the wicked enemy will be routed. It is often most profitable to Gods servant to endure such things. For the devil does not tempt the infidel or sinner, of whom he has already secure possession; but he uses various means to tempt and harass the devout faithful. Go on then with simple unquestioning faith, and approach the Sacrament with reverent beseeching. Anything you cannot understand, commit it surely to God who is omnipotent. God does not deceive you; the over-confident person deceives himself. God walks in step with the simple ones, he shows himself to the humble ones, he grants understanding to the little ones; “he reveals hidden meanings to little ones”, and hides away his grace from the inquisitive and the proud. Human reason is feeble and fallible; but true faith cannot be deceived. All use of reason, all human inquiry should walk in the footsteps of faith; it should not go on in front of it nor call it in question.
Posted on: Mon, 31 Mar 2014 17:35:28 +0000