COLLECT: “O GOD, WHO RENEW THE WORLD THROUGH MYSTERIES BEYOND ALL TELLING, GRANT, WE PRAY, THAT YOUR CHURCH MAY BE GUIDED BY YOUR ETERNAL DESIGN AND NOT BE DEPRIVED OF YOUR HELP IN THIS PRESENT AGE. THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, YOUR SON, WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU IN THE UNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, GOD, FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN”.
Is 65:17-21; Ps 29:2,4-6,11-13 and Jn 4:43-54.
In today’s first reading, Isaiah gives a pictorial description of new heavens and a new earth, where the things of the past shall not be remembered. These will be eternal, and in them, safety, peace, and plenty will be available to all. In today’s Gospel, Jesus cures or restores to life the son of a royal official from Capernaum. Even though the dying son of the royal official is not brought physically to Jesus for the cure, seeing the father’s faith, the boy regains life the very moment that Jesus commands it. There is a message here for Lent.
What is always anticipated at the end of Lent, when we celebrate the Lord’s resurrection is that the Resurrected Lord who triumphed over sin, suffering, sickness, sadness, death and weeping, caused by our sinful deeds more than 2026 years ago, will always triumph over them, and then create new life and a new beginning for us. We will receive a new life and a new beginning if our faith brings us to Jesus to cure us, both of our physical and spiritual sicknesses and illnesses. In faith, yesterday is gone and another day has come.
Indeed, in faith, Jesus can restore us to life and health no matter where we are. The grace of the saving Lord can travel far and wide, across borders and boundaries, across rivers and seas and reach the whole world. The only thing needed for this is strong or deep faith. During this special season of Lent, let us not allow it to end at Easter without any of us attaining new life and a new beginning. Therefore, let us now (before it is too late), look at areas in our lives that need healing, cure, pardon, change and restoration, and in humility like this royal official, courageously come to the Lord in faith to be cured and healed. Let us also like this royal official, always intercede for those who need cure and healing from the Lord as well as bring those we can (physically) to the Lord for healing. Stay blessed and all the best of luck as you begin your working week today.
WE MEDITATE TODAY, MONDAY, ON THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES: ‘THE ANNUNCIATION, THE VISITATION, THE BIRTH OF JESUS, THE PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE AND THE FINDING OF THE CHILD JESUS IN THE TEMPLE’. (LET US PRAY FOR HUMILITY, LOVE OF NEIGHBOUR, POVERTY IN SPIRIT, OBEDIENCE AND JOY IN FINDING JESUS) “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus: Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen”.
PRAYER: “MAY YOUR HOLY GIFTS, O LORD, WE PRAY, GIVE US LIFE BY MAKING US NEW, AND, BY SANCTIFYING US, LEAD US TO THINGS ETERNAL. THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN”.
Rev. Fr. Aloysius Kpiebaya, Catholic Diocese of Wa, UW/R, Ghana. (00233) 0207867239/0545462863. Email: aloybaya20@yahoo.com
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