Homily for Monday of the 4th Week of Lent

In our Gospel passage, we learn about a court official who approached Jesus to help cure his seriously ill son. Many people had already sought Jesus' assistance in the villages He visited. Initially, Jesus seemed to refuse the official's request, but the official persisted, saying, "Sir, come down before my child dies." Jesus granted his request, but not in the way the man had anticipated. He simply said, "Your son will live." The man believed Jesus' words and returned home. On the way, he discovered that his prayer had been answered.

When we pray to the Lord for help, we might feel our prayers go unanswered. We may not receive the response we were hoping for, but we must persevere in prayer, just like the royal official in the Gospel. We must trust the Lord's promises and carry them in our hearts. Like the royal official, we will find that the Lord answers our prayers, even if it's not in the way we envision.