{"id":18495,"date":"2015-03-16T02:59:35","date_gmt":"2015-03-16T08:59:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/?p=18495"},"modified":"2017-04-17T21:58:44","modified_gmt":"2017-04-18T01:58:44","slug":"it-is-living","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/it-is-living\/","title":{"rendered":"It is Living!","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent, March 16th, 2015<\/p>\n

Liturgical texts here<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

WHEN <\/strong>the official comes to Jesus and asks Him to heal his son, the Lord replies:<\/p>\n

\n

“Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” The royal official said to him, \u201cSir, come down before my child dies.” (Today’s Gospel)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

You see, Jesus had just returned from Samaria, a region of people whom the Jews considered to be ritually impure. He performed no miracles there\u2014because no one asked for any. Instead, the woman at the well was thirsting for something greater: living water. <\/em>And so we read:<\/p>\n

\n

Many more began to believe in him because of his word<\/em>, and they said to the woman, \u201cWe no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard for ourselves<\/em>, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world.” (John 4:41-42)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The miracles of Jesus were not an end in themselves, but a means to open people’s hearts to His life-saving word. After all, one can be raised from the dead, but still remain asleep in the heart. Jesus seemed to be saying to the official, Can’t you see: My word<\/em> is life! My word is living! My word is effective! My word is your healing! It has the power to liberate and save you if you but put your trust in My word… <\/em>[1]<\/sup><\/a>cf. Heb 4:12<\/span><\/span>