Lenten Reflections

Monday, March 23, 2009

John 4:43-54

At that time Jesus left [Samaria] for Galilee.
For Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his native place.
When he came into Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him,
since they had seen all he had done in Jerusalem at the feast;
for they themselves had gone to the feast.

Then he returned to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine.
Now there was a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum.
When he heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea,
he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son,
who was near death. Jesus said to him,
"Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe."
The royal official said to him, "Sir, come down before my child dies."
Jesus said to him, "You may go; your son will live."
The man believed what Jesus said to him and left.
While the man was on his way back, his slaves met him
and told him that his boy would live.
He asked them when he began to recover. They told him,
"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," and he and his whole household came to believe.
Now this was the second sign Jesus did when he came to Galilee from Judea.

Reflection
Liza Talusan
Director of Intercultural Affairs

From birth and through high school, I was raised in the Catholic tradition and grew up attending Church, learning in CCD, and believing faithfully in the Word of God. When I left home to attend college, I found that going to Church became secondary to my studies, socializing, leadership activities, volunteering, and traveling. I soon realized that many years had passed since I attended Mass, with the exception of Christmas and Easter. Throughout graduate school, I began to explore other options of faith - ranging from Quakerism to non-denominational worship to just praying at night, but I always believed in the miracles of Jesus Christ.

In August 2005, my only child at the time, Joli, was diagnosed with Stage 5 cancer, just after her 2nd birthday. Upon hearing this news, I collapsed to my knees, prayed to God, and begged for mercy for my small child. I would continue to pray through her emergency surgery, chemotherapy, each hospitalization, and both before and after every diagnostic test given to detect whether or not the cancer had spread to her brain. I prayed that God would give me strength to be the Mom she needed me to be. I oftentimes prayed that God would let me trade places with her. Much like the royal official at Capernaum, I begged for Jesus to come and heal my child. And, while my faith was the only thing I could hold on to at this time, I needed a miraculous sign; I needed to believe.

God, indeed, granted many miracles for my family over the past few years. I continue to lean on my faith for strength and guidance, especially during challenging times. But, more importantly, I credit my faith in God, in humanity, and in the endurance of the human spirit to continue focusing on the good in our world. I have seen miracles performed and continue to stay open to the miracles that have yet to come.