DAILY- HOMILY

07 March 2016

Monday, 4th Week of Lent 

Sts. Perpetua and Felicity, Martyrs

Violet.         

Is 65:17 –21 / Jn 4:43 – 54

Sts. Perpetua (d 203), a noble lady, and her slave Felicity (d 203) remained unharmed when thrown to wild beasts; they were then put to the sword during the persecution of Septimus Severus.

From the Gospel Reading: Jn 4:46 – 54

Jesus went back to Cana of Galilee where he had changed the water into wine. At Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill, and when he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and asked him to come and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 

Jesus said, "Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe!"  The official said, "Sir, come down before my child dies." And Jesus replied, "Go, your son is living."

The man had faith in the word that Jesus spoke to him and went his way. He was already going down the hilly road when his servants met him with this news, "Your son has recovered!"  So he asked them at what hour the child had begun to recover and they said to him, "The fever left him yesterday in the afternoon about one o'clock." And the father realized that it was the time when Jesus told him, "Your son is living." And he became a believer, he and all his family.

Jesus performed this second miraculous sign when he returned from Judea to Galilee.

Reflection

Jesus said, "Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe!"

This brings to mind a story about an atheist professor forcing his unbelief on his students by saying: "I do not believe in God, and to prove to you that there is no God, I challenge God to strike me down this very moment. . . ." As he was speaking, a big burly young man in a college football t-shirt came down and punched him in the jaw sending the poor professor to the floor. The stunned professor asked the big student why he punched him.  The young man replied: "God told me to do it. . . ."

Some people want to prove their unbelief by seeking wondrous signs that they know will not happen. Others like us believe enough to ask for small signs from God to help us with our decisions. Sometimes God grants us special signs like white roses and stuff, but most of the time his signs are so subtle that it takes a well practiced personal relationship with Jesus and a regular prayer/quiet-time to recognize his whispered signs. 

Have you ever asked God to help you with your decision with a sign?

INTENTIONS:

For the intention of Carol Lucena

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most. 

Have a good day!

**************************************************

These reflections are distributed free and are for personal use only. Feel free to send the Daily Prayer reflections to your friends, colleagues and relatives; however, if you do, please include the following: 

  +================================================+

   |  The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the

   |  priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish

   |  distributed free and for personal use only.  

  +================================================+