In today's gospel the royal official comes to Jesus on behalf of his sick son asking to come that his son may be healed. Like most of his time, he believe that Jesus would lay hands on him pray over him, give some instruction: in short, do something. Instead Jesus simply tells him to go home, his son will live.
The official's response is reminiscent of the call of Abraham, who went told to go simply left, no debate, no questions, no doubt. Both men trust the words, the words of God the Father, the words of Jesus Christ. John's gospel begins "In the beginning was the word..."
Do we still have that faith in the simple power of words. Each time we celebrate the Eucharist, it is the words of Christ that change mere bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. Do we still have the faith of the royal official?
