The Gospel reading brings to us a child of a court official who is dying. The father in desperation makes the trip from Capernaum to Cana (32 km - an overnight trip) and asked Jesus to heal his son. Jesus told him, "Go home, your son will live." And on his way home he received news that his son had recovered.

Jesus was in Cana when He did His first miracle (turning water into wine - John 2:1-11). And Jesus was also in Cana when He assured the court official of his son's healing. The result of the first miracle? Jesus "revealed His glory and His disciples believed in Him" (John 2:11). The result of the second miracle? "He (court official) and his household believed" (v 53). What does all this mean?

John 20:30-31 give us the answer (regarding the miracles of Jesus) - that "you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing this you may have life through His name."

The miracles are signs pointing to the presence of the Christ (Messiah) in our midst. With the coming of the Christ, surely there will be in the future - "new heavens and a new earth" (Is 65:17) where no more will be heard "the sound of weeping or the sound of cries" (Is 65:29). And the psalmist's words of being "rescued ... raised ... restored" (Ps 30:1,3) can come to pass too in our own lives.