Walking to the Edge of All the Light You Have

Devotional Reflection, Tuesday, March 17, 2025

The week of the second Sunday in Lent

The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.

Key verses for reflection from today’s Gospel reading:

49The official said to him, ‘Sir, come down before my little boy dies.’ 50Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your son will live.’ The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way. 51As he was going down, his slaves met him and told him that his child was alive. 52So he asked them the hour when he began to recover, and they said to him, ‘Yesterday at one in the afternoon the fever left him.’ 53The father realized that this was the hour when Jesus had said to him, ‘Your son will live.’ So he himself believed, along with his whole household.

You will find the full text of today’s Gospel at the end of this reflection.

Daily Office Lectionary Reading (BCP, 952)

AM Psalm 61, 62; PM Psalm 68:1-20(21-23)24-36

Jer. 2:1-13; Rom. 1:16-25; John 4:43-54

Today we celebrate the Feast of Cyril of Jerusalem. (See below.)

David's Reflections

John Baille, a Scottish theologian, wrote a powerful little book near the end of World War II.  In that monograph, he said:  "Christian faith does not consist in believing a number of unrelated things, but in surrendering ourselves in a single act of trust in the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." *

I would change only one phrase.  Were I to rewrite Baille’s lines, "A single act" would become "an ongoing act."  The Christian journey begins in faith but continues to be repeated acts of faith.  This Gospel presents us with a vivid picture of just what that means.  The phrases that catch my attention are in verses 50 and 53.  In verse 50, "the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way."  Jesus promised that his son would recover, and the man began the journey home with no other evidence than that word.  What a striking act of faith!

It is not unlike the act of trust and commitment we make when we trust Jesus to come into our lives, to forgive our sins;  to give us God’s own rich, full, eternal life;  and to be present with us.  In the baptismal rite the priest says:  "Do you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior."  Our answer: "I do."  Priest:  "Do you put your whole trust in his grace and love."  Our answer:  "I do."  We exercise faith that Jesus will forgive, love, and transform us with no "proof," before we've seen the healing take place.

The second phrase that catches my attention is in verse 53.  "So he himself believed, along with his whole household."  What strikes me is that his first act of faith came before his son was healed;  now, after the healing, he and his entire household believed.  Which was it, before or after?  It was both.  The healing of his son confirmed and deepened a faith already existing.

For us, receiving Holy Eucharist is somewhat like that second act of faith.  Each Sunday we extend our hands and receive bread and wine.  We trust that Jesus really is present in the elements, that the visible signs of bread and wine bring the realities of his saving death and resurrection into our experience.  We trust that we are experiencing the power of his once-for-all sacrifice again, that we are in sacred time where the past becomes present and foreshadows our future with God in the life to come.  We trust that we are receiving Christ’s nurturing, forgiving, transforming presence. We continue believing, like the man in John 4

Some approach the Holy Table out of curiosity or hunger, though not a part of the faith community. Imagine their surprise when Jesus becomes known to them in the breaking of the bread. They have that biblical father's initial moment of faith. For a vivid account of just such a moment, see Sara Miles's book about her initial meeting with Jesus at the Table.@

That eucharistic moment captures the way we are called to live each day, trusting in the presence of Christ, surrendering ourselves to that presence, committing ourselves to serve him.

A brief poetic line comes to mind in response to this man’s adventurous faith.

When you walk to the edge of all the light you have

and take that first step into the darkness of the unknown,

you must believe that one of two things will happen:

      There will be something solid for you to stand upon,

      or, you will be taught how to fly.+

• John Baille, Invitation to Pilgrimage, (New York:  Scribner's, 1945), p. 102.

  
  

+Patrick Overton, http://www.patrickoverton.com/poster.html

@Sara Miles, Take This Bread:  The Spiritual memoir of a twenty-first century Christian.  (New York:  Ballantine Books, 2007), esp. pp. 57-58.

Collect of the Day, The Second Sunday in Lent

O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ your Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.  (BCP, 217)

Today we celebrate the Feast of Cyril of Jerusalem, bishop and theologian (died ca 386 CE). http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/Cyril_Jerusalem.htm

Collect of the Feast of Cyril of Jerusalem

Strengthen, O God, your church in the sacraments of your grace, that we, in union with the teaching and prayers of your servant Cyril of Jerusalem, may enter more fully into your Paschal mystery; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Tuesday of the Second Week in Lent

O God, you willed to redeem us from all iniquity by your Son: Deliver us when we are tempted to regard sin without abhorrence, and let the virtue of his passion come between us and our mortal enemy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

(Weekday Eucharistic Propers, p. 23)

A Collect for Peace

O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. (BCP, 99)

For Young Persons

God our Father, you see your children growing up in an unsteady and confusing world: Show them that your ways give more life than the ways of the world, and that following you is better than chasing after selfish goals. Help them to take failure, not as a measure of their worth, but as a chance for a new start. Give them strength to hold their faith in you, and to keep alive their joy in your creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  (BCP, 829)

A Prayer for Light

Grant us, Lord, the lamp of charity which never fails, that it may burn in us and shed its light on those around us, and that by its brightness we may have a vision of that holy City, where dwells the true and never-failing Light, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 110)

A Collect for Mission

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified:  Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.  (BCP, 100)

Daily Office Gospel, John 4:43-54

43 When the two days were over, he went from that place to Galilee 44(for Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in the prophet’s own country). 45When he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, since they had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the festival; for they too had gone to the festival. 46Then he came again to Cana in Galilee where he had changed the water into wine. Now there was a royal official whose son lay ill in Capernaum. 47When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48Then Jesus said to him, ‘Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.’ 49The official said to him, ‘Sir, come down before my little boy dies.’ 50Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your son will live.’ The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way. 51As he was going down, his slaves met him and told him that his child was alive. 52So he asked them the hour when he began to recover, and they said to him, ‘Yesterday at one in the afternoon the fever left him.’ 53The father realized that this was the hour when Jesus had said to him, ‘Your son will live.’ So he himself believed, along with his whole household. 54Now this was the second sign that Jesus did after coming from Judea to Galilee.

Daily Prayer Offices in The Book of Common Prayer

Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, Book of Common Prayer

Noonday Prayer, p. 103, Book of Common Prayer

Order of Worship for Evening (Vespers), p. 109, Book of Common Prayer

Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer

Compline (Night Prayer), Page 127, Book of Common Prayer

Daily Devotionals, page 136, Book of Common Prayer