Gospel: John 4:43-54

 

Jesus had left Galilee and set forth toward Judah in order to arrive in Jerusalem on the occasion of the festival and, passing through Samaria, He was returning again to Galilee. The observant Jews were forbidden to pass through Samaria, and they could not even speak with the Samaritans. 

 

When the Assyrians conquered Israel, the Jews there ended up scattered throughout the area and the Assyrians adopted the God of Israel, Yahweh, and their practices. The Jews within Judah denied that any non-Hebrew had a right to worship Yahweh, or to worship outside of Jerusalem. Jesus did not care about these norms which prevented communion. He remained several days in Samaria and many people were converted. After that, He decided to return to Galilee.

 

Even though Jesus knew that the people of Galilee had certain reservations about Him, He wished to return to His own home town.  John refers to how badly Jesus was received in Nazareth of Galilee. Jesus himself had declared that “No prophet is honored in his own home town”. But now, given the evidence of what He had done in Jerusalem, the Galileans change their opinion and receive Him well. Jesus then returns to Cana where He had worked the first “sign”.

 

A short time before, in Samaria, Jesus had spoken with a Samaritan woman, a heretical person according to the Jews, to whom Jesus revealed His condition of Messiah. And now, in Galilee, He receives a gentile, the official of the king, who was seeking help for his sick son. Jesus does not limit Himself to help those of His race only, nor those of His own religion. He is the Son of God and receives all.