Faith Is Not Limited

As he traveled through Galilee, he came to Cana, where he had turned the water into wine. There was a government official in nearby Capernaum whose son was very sick. When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged Jesus to come to Capernaum to heal his son, who was about to die. [John 4.46-47]

Jesus' first miracle was turning water into wine at a wedding in Cana of Galilee. The miracle of Jesus healing this boy is His second miracle.

Hold that thought...

When the government official from Capernaum heard that Jesus was [back] in Galilee, he went and begged Jesus to heal his sick son. WHY? Just because Jesus had turned water into wine did not indicate that Jesus would heal humans, did it? What made this man think Jesus would heal sickness?

Here is where faith becomes involved. Faith is not limited. All real faith needs is a situation that is impossible, because, as Jesus said, all things are possible to him who believes. It does not matter whether the need is for more wine at a wedding or the restoration of life to a sick (or even dead) person. Jesus would go on to prove that faith was not limited. He did so by performing all sorts of miracles.

...“Anything is possible if a person believes.” [Mark 9.23b]

Is there a lesson for us in the story of the government official (nobleman) from Capernaum? I certainly think so.

In typical "Jesus" fashion, Jesus challenged the man's faith:

Jesus asked, “Will you never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?” [John 4.48]

But the man's genuine faith driven by his intense love for his son persevered past just "chasing miracles:"

The official pleaded, “Lord, please come now before my little boy dies.” [John 4.49]

The genuine faith of the official was evident is his conclusion that if Jesus had turned water into wine, Jesus could also heal his son.

I think we struggle with this today. I think we attempt to qualify what is or what is not something worthy of a miracle... But we need to come back to Jesus' words, “Anything is possible if a person believes.”

Jesus' teachings about faith, as well as His numerous demonstrations of it, all give us a clear picture of what the life of a true believer should look like: it should look like Jesus. If a miracle is necessary (like paying taxes when there is no money), then that miracle is justified. Jesus is on record of scolding any thought process otherwise. Here is an example of that in the case of Peter's failed attempt at walking on water:

Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” [Matthew 14.31]

The lesson for us from the nobleman's actions is that faith is not limited. The world will not teach us this lesson however. In fact, the world is doing everything in its power to discount and discourage faith in God as Jesus taught and demonstrated it. The world has been so successful in its campaign of human reasoning and logic that the Church is now largely infected with its doubt and unbelief. But that does not make it okay. Faith is not limited!

Jesus' challenge to us today is absolutely no different than it was when He walked the earth: have faith in God! Regardless what people try to say faith today looks like, if it does not look like Jesus, something is wrong.

If faith is limited to prevailing technology, medicine, or knowledge, it is not faith at all. Why? Because faith is not limited!

Get the point? FAITH IS NOT LIMITED!

Father, help me to meditate on the story of the government official in today's reading from the OYCB. Help me to stop looking at my circumstances and the circumstances around me with limitations and instead look at them through the eyes of limitless faith.