Date: March 23, 2020 ()

Bible Text: First Reading: IS 65:17-21; Gospel: JN 4:43-54 |

Series:

Thus says the Lord:

“Lo, I am about to create new heavens and a new earth…there shall always be rejoicing and happiness in what I create… No longer shall the sound of weeping be heard there.”

What we just heard from the book of the prophet Isaiah in today’s first reading is God’s promise of the fulness of life.

Like the people of old, are we still waiting for it to come true? In reality, its fulfillment had already begun. The apostles were witnesses of it. They lived by it. How? It’s when they found inner joy and peace in having seen Jesus alive again after the scourge of death. As a result, Mary’s sorrow turned into joy; Magdalene’s tears were wiped away, Peter’s doubts and fears were superseded with courage. Stephen’s martyrdom was consoled by a vision of the glory of God in heaven where Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father. Saul, a persecutor, was transformed into Paul, the zealous Apostle to the Gentiles. They all lived without fear then because the Lord has given them New Life, has opened the gates of eternity, where death shall be no more.

Meanwhile our gospel today recalls the story of the Royal Official who went to Jesus for the healing of his son. The story concludes: ”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.”

In whatever way God can save us, He will do it for us. Some are healed from their physical infirmities and then continue to live. Some may not have made it through the tough battle for life and died, but we are assured that Jesus will raise us again in the last days.

For those afflicted by the malady of COVID-19 or those who are afraid of what lies ahead, know and believe that God heals our mortal bodies and He saves our soul.