10 January 2014
Friday After Epiphany
In today’s first reading, John uses a term found throughout his writings: “believe in.” And when he uses this term, it is in contrast to “belief.” The distinction makes sense when we think about it: if I say “I believe you,” I say that I trust your message. If I say “I believe in you” I say that I trust you personally. That trust extends not only to what you have said and are saying, but what you will say. I know that you will be reliable in the future or make things happen in the future because that is how you are.
This is the trust that the leper shows in Jesus in today’s gospel. He goes up to Jesus and says “Lord, if you wish it, you can make me clean.” The leper believes in Jesus, and believes in His power. Sure enough, Jesus does it. That same belief in Jesus that the leper had is the belief that John asks us to have now. There are plenty of reasons to think that the victory over the world John speaks of will not happen. But if Jesus has promised it, then He will make it happen, because that is how He is. Eventually, He will show His glory to the whole world, in a way that will surprise us, as it must have surprised those who saw the leper healed. Do we believe in Jesus so that we think this will happen, and will we be prepared to accept it once it does?