Friday, May 12 : Saint John Chrysostom

“Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe!” The royal official seems not to believe that Jesus has the power to raise the dead. “Come down before my son dies!” He seems to believe that Jesus does not know how serious his child’s illness is. That is why Jesus reproaches him, to show him that miracles are done above all in order to win and heal souls. Thus, Jesus heals the father, who is no less spiritually ill than the son who is physically ill, and he does so in order to teach us that we must be attached to him, not because of miracles, but because of his teaching which the miracles confirm. For he does not work miracles for those who believe, but for those who do not believe (…) When the man returned home, “he and his whole household became believers.” People who had neither seen nor heard Jesus (…) believed in him. What teaching can we draw from this? We must believe in him without demanding miracles; we must not demand of God that he prove his power. In our own day, how many people show greater love of God when their children or wife have received some sort of relief in their illness. But even if our wishes are not heard, we must persevere just as much in thanksgiving and praise. Let us remain attached to God in adversity as much as in prosperity.

Roman Extraordinary (Tridentine) Daily Readings – rosary,team