Faith Moves God

𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐇 𝟏𝟔, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔: 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐓𝐇 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐓

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝟏: 𝐈𝐬𝐚 𝟔𝟓:𝟏𝟕-𝟐𝟏

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐦: 𝐏𝐬𝐚 𝟑𝟎:𝟐, 𝟒-𝟔, 𝟏𝟏-𝟏𝟑 “𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞.”

𝐆𝐎𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐋: 𝐉𝐧 𝟒:𝟒𝟑-𝟓𝟒

𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞: “𝐒𝐨 𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐝.” (𝐯.𝟓𝟑) 

          Faith is something that I grew up with – from my initial introduction to such through my mother and my relatives who were deeply religious and from the instructions I received in the Catholic school I attended in my younger years. This faith in God is something I never lost even during the times I created a distance between me and God with the kind of life I pursued.

          And it will also be faith that will influence my formation as I went through my discipleship training in the renewal community that we joined. And it is also faith that gave me the strength to persevere through all the challenges and trials that I face and continue to experience even in this present age.

          Some people, however, present faith as something complicated. It is not. Everyone has faith one way or the other. Some may be aware of it. Some are not. But faith in spiritual terms is one of the three theological virtues infused in everyone who has been baptized in the Church. And we begin to understand what it is as we grow spiritually through specific religious instructions, homilies, seminars and talks.

          Speaking from my personal experience, my faith in God is such that it is there even during the times I took a wrong turn away from his light. It was also faith that brought me back into the path of God’s righteousness and into his marvelous light.   

         Speaking of healing, which is at the center of today’s Gospel passage, in whatever form be it physical, emotional or spiritual is contingent on two factors. These are the Will of God and the faith of the person who is asking to be healed. From the accounts of the writers of the Synoptic Gospels, we are given the privilege to witness the different instances of healing that took place throughout the ministry of Jesus.

         That healing is contingent on the Will of God can be read in 𝐋𝐤 𝟓:𝟏𝟑 when a man stricken with leprosy came rushing and knelt before Jesus saying: “𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝, 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧.” 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬’ 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞: “𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠,” 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝, “𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧!”        

        If we are to examine the healing of the servant of the Roman Centurion and compare it with preceding events that were recorded by Luke in his Gospel, we will see that the first instance of healing that Jesus did was when He drove out the evil spirit from a man possessed by the demon (𝐋𝐤 𝟒:𝟑𝟑) at the synagogue in Capernaum where Jesus was preaching.

         From the synagogue, Jesus proceeded to the home of Simon where He probably wanted to relax and be among His disciples, but He had to heal the mother-in-law of Simon who was suffering from high fever and Jesus rebuked the fever and it left her (𝐋𝐤 𝟒:𝟑𝟗) and she began to wait on them.

         But the people in the area learned of the presence of Jesus and there were many who were stricken with various forms of illnesses came and Jesus laid hands on each one of them and he healed them as “demons came out of many people shouting, “𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝.” (𝐋𝐤 𝟒:𝟒𝟏).

         And we see Jesus again in 𝐋𝐤 𝟓:𝟐𝟒 telling a paralyzed man “𝐈 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐮𝐩, 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐮𝐩 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐨 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞.” But not after Jesus told the paralyzed man “𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝, 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧.”

         The reason why I am citing these healing events is because of the probability that the Royal Official may have already heard by word of mouth and the testimony of others of the teachings, discourses and instances of healing that Jesus made particularly when he turned water into wine at the wedding at Cana.

         Nothing much was said of the official but being such, we can only deduce that he must have been a highly respected man who enjoyed certain privileges in Capernaum where he lived and where he left his ailing son to make the four-hour trek to see and ask Jesus to come with him to heal his son. Such faith of a father for his son is something that Jesus will just ignore because the 20-mile distance over rugged terrain between Capernaum and Cana is no easy task.

         And if you’re going to spend some time digesting this Gospel reading you will note that Jesus rebuked the Royal Official when he said: “𝐔𝐧𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐝.” (𝐯.𝟒𝟖) It was clear in this verse that Jesus did not only rebuke the Royal Official but also those within hearing distance.

         What was striking was the fact that the Royal Official could have left and abandoned his plan to seek the help of Jesus but he did not mind being rebuked as he stood his ground and implored Jesus to come with him “𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬.” (𝐯.𝟒𝟗)

         Again, here we will see the compassion of Jesus for those who despite the pride and honor attached to their position will humble themselves as what the Royal Official did and such humility has its rewards when Jesus said: “𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐠𝐨, 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞.” (𝐯.𝟓𝟎)        

         This Gospel passage ends with the Royal Official and all his household taking that big leap of faith to become believers of Jesus and this is what normally happens to anyone who have lost all possible options and who in their time of need turn to God for help.

         I have no problem recognizing who God is because religion has become our daily fare during my primary and elementary years at the Paco Catholic School in Manila. But the Catechism classes that we had only provided me with the head knowledge of prayer and the different aspects of my Catholic faith particularly the Sacraments. But God remained up there and I’m down here.

         And I was never told that this wide divide between heaven and earth can be bridged with us being able to enter into a personal relationship with a loving God. To enter and have an intimate relationship with God is in fact part of God’s four-fold plan that we were all created – to 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐇𝐢𝐦 (𝐉𝐧 𝟏𝟕:𝟑); 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐦 (𝐌𝐭 𝟐𝟐:𝟑𝟕); 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐦 (𝐉𝐧 𝟏𝟐:𝟐𝟔) 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 (𝐉𝐧 𝟏𝟔:𝟐𝟐).

         Out of God’s overflowing goodness, he found me and brought me to the renewal and out of the desert I was in and healed me of all my iniquities. Like the court official who believed in Jesus took his word without doubt or hesitation that his son will live and was ready to return home and face ridicule and laughter because he trusted in Jesus' word, I too was prepared to be ridiculed by my friends who tagged me as a fanatic when they learned I joined a charismatic community. All that is now water under the bridge as I am not only comfortable where I am now, but I know I have a God who is healing me of all my imperfections.

        And the healing that we received is what should impel us to also proclaim that healing can take place if only we will have the faith of the Royal Official who placed his trust in Jesus and believed in His Word. Belief is what will also move us to proclaim the truth of God’s salvation and as St. Paul tells us in 𝐑𝐨𝐦 𝟏𝟎:𝟏𝟒-𝟏𝟕 "𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐢𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐝? 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞? 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐝? 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐭? 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧, 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭."        

         This then is our primary duty as disciples – to proclaim the Good News that brings not only healing but will also take us to the path that leads to the Kingdom of Heaven because it is in the Good News that we can find the Way, the Truth and the Life (𝐉𝐧 𝟏𝟒:𝟔). (𝘌𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘺 - 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 16, 2026)