The Ministry of Jesus Christ: The Healing of the Nobleman's Son

So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. When 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. Jesus therefore said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe." The official said to him, "Sir, come down before my child dies." Jesus said to him, "Go; your son will live." The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went his way. As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was living. So he asked them the hour when he began to mend, and they said to him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him." The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live"; and he himself believed, and all his household. This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee. - John 4:46-54 (RSVCE)

Our Lord, traveling from Samaria to Galilee, arrives at Cana, where a man of authority, belonging to Caparnaum, comes and begs Him to come down and heal his dying son. Jesus tells him to return home, for his son is alive and well. The man believes the word of Jesus, and on his return finds that the boy has recovered at the very moment that Jesus spoke. He and all his home became disciples of our Lord.

The ruler of Caparnaum had but a partial faith. He believes that Jesus can cure his son if He is present at his bedside, but it never occurs to him that He can do so equally well from a distance. Yet our Lord does not reject his petition on that account. He loves to fan into a flame even a spark of faith or love. My faith and love is, indeed, but a tiny spark. O Jesus, fan it into a flame with the breath of Thy grace.

Our Lord seems to say to those who listened to Him: "Are not My words enough! Is not the law of love that I publish sufficient to draw your hearts to believe what I speak? No! unless you see signs and wonders you believe not." O Jesus, this shall not be my spirit. No miracles do I need to make me put my trust in Thee, save the miracle of Thy Divine love.

The prayer of the ruler is heard, but not in the literal sense. Christ did not go down to his house, but by one word He wrought the cure. So, often He does not grant our prayers as we ask, but eventually He does far better for us. This we should remember when our petitions seem to pass unheeded.

- taken from The Ministry of Jesus Christ: Short Meditations on the Public Life of Our Lord, by Father Richard Frederick Clarke, SJ