All four gospel writers report a healing miracle performed “from a distance.” The details differ — a synagogue official, a centurion, a royal official, a servant, a child — but the commonalities are Jesus seeking to steer the petitioners to greater faith and they continuing to ask for divine intervention. St. John’s account has the ring of an authentic encounter. After Jesus complained that all people wanted was what they could out of him instead of deepening their faith the official answered, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” He could only see the immediate crisis his family was going through and not the larger picture of God’s presence and action in the world. Jesus does heal for he understands that faith is grounded in human reality.
