ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
September 2, 2022
Is it a risk when you are desperate? That may sound like a strange question, but in John 4, we find Jesus returning to Cana, the place where he had turned water into wine. There was a certain royal official in Cana whose son was sick, and when news reached the royal official that Jesus was coming, he went out to meet Jesus and to seek healing for his son. I can only imagine the fear and anguish this man must have felt for his son, yet Jesus was not like him. Though there is some uncertainty about what “royal official” actually refers to, it is thought that John was speaking of someone in the Roman government or possibly a Roman soldier. Whatever the case, this person was not Jewish. There had to have been many things that crossed the mind of the official as Jesus approached. “Is this guy a conman? What will people say when I approach him for a favor? Will this have any impact on my standing in the community?” Those would have been genuine concerns, but when it comes to your child, you’re willing to risk anything and everything. How might things be different if we felt responsibility for every child, not just those for whom we might be legally responsible. How might we risk for the sake of their health, safety and well-being? If they are desperate, we should feel that desperation and act.
O God, help me relinquish any concerns I have that might keep me from serving others, specifically the most vulnerable around me. Since you are one that looks beyond blood to the creation of a much broader and inclusive community, your expectation of us is probably very similar. Provide me with both courage and strength to do what is right. Amen.
