Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent

The man believed what Jesus said to him and left.

My reflection on these readings last year is pretty darned good. Click on this symbol { Å } if you’d like to read it this year. But I owe myself and you another reflection on these readings. Last year I considered the trustworthiness of God’s word; let’s reflect on our readiness to trust.

Consider the “royal official” who comes to Jesus. In other gospels, in similar stories, he appears as a centurion. In any case he is a man of authority. Apparently he has grown up with it and he is used to people doing precisely what he wants. Royal children grow up giving orders to people ten times their age and are obeyed.

So when this royal official came to Jesus he fully expected the famous holy man to go with him. But Jesus met him man to man and refused. He went so far as to complain: “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.”

Clearly the man was desperate. Perhaps he had already wearied of giving doctors and nurses orders to cure his son. Under these circumstances his word of authority meant nothing; reality laughed in his face as his son lay dying.

The royal official has come to the end of his rope. He has no where to turn but to God, and he knows it.

Hearing Jesus say, “You may go; your son will live.” he submits to Jesus’ authority. First he hears himself spoken down to, “You may go.” King Herod probably spoke to him that way, or the Emperor, but this royal official accepted dismissal from a common Galilean.

And then he heard, “Your son will live.” He believed in Jesus; he accepted his word.

He found within himself that infinite human capacity for trust, even to trust another human being. We are vessel made to contain God, and that means we have an infinite capacity for trust.  

Perhaps, upon seeing Jesus’ eyes, and abiding, if only for a moment, in his presence he knew he was in the presence of true and trustworthy authority, like none he had never seen on earth. The Romans ruled with brute power; their weapons of choice were Roman phalanxes to butcher rebellions and crucifixion for malcontents. Herod and his ilk ruled by treachery. But Jesus, the Son of God, rules with a word; just as his Father had spoken a word and creation leapt out of chaos. Neither the Father nor the Son needs violence to govern. 

It would be easy to say, “I never had the opportunity to meet Jesus face to face. That’s why my faith is weak.” But we have the Eucharist and the sacraments. Our worship brings us face to face with goodness, mercy, integrity, purity, and beauty. There is simply no lack of reassuring authority from God’s side. As we prepare for Easter we ask the Lord to empty our hearts of all mistrust, and reshape our hearts into his own image.