Miracles in Matthew
Jesus is our Healer. When He walked the earth, Jesus never denied a request for healing. Scripture often tells us that Jesus "healed all" that came to Him (Matt. 4:24; 8:16; 9:35; 12:15; 14:36; Mark 6:56; Luke 4:40; 6:19).
Matthew 8-9 account for more than half of the miraculous narratives Matthew included in his Gospel, many of which are healings. These supernatural healings immediately followed the Sermon on the Mount, serving as proof that Jesus is the Son of God and demonstrating Jesus's authority over sickness and death. Each miracle affirmed that Jesus really is the Messiah that the Jews had been expecting. Today, we will focus on the stories of Jesus healing the leper and the centurion’s servant.
Healing the Leper Matthew 8:1-4
“When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.’ And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, ‘I will; be clean.’ And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, ‘See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.’”
As Jesus finished his teachings and was coming down from the mountain, a leper came to Him, bowed down, and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean” (Matt. 8:2). He recognized Jesus’ authority over sickness and His divinity as King. Scripture tells us that Jesus stretched out His hand, touched him, and said, “I am willing; be cleansed,” and immediately his leprosy was cleansed (Matt 8:3).
Leprosy is an incurable disease that rots the flesh, deadens nerve endings, and eventually leads to death. In scripture, it is a great metaphor for sin in our lives.
Infected and isolated, this leper approached Jesus in sheer boldness, knowing the only barrier to his healing was Jesus’ willingness. He had complete faith in Jesus’ authority over his sickness, but also recognized the complexities of God’s timing and will.
Jesus surely could have healed the leper from afar, but he chose to approach and to touch him. Jesus meets us in our filthy states, unafraid of our sin. We are never too untouchable for Him to cleanse us. Jesus touched the leper, declared His willingness, and displayed His authority to act on His word. Immediately, the leper was healed!
Healing the Centurion's Servant Matthew 8:5-13
“‘Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.’ When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, and he said to him, ‘I will come and heal him.’ But the centurion replied, ‘Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.’ When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, ‘Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ And to the centurion Jesus said, ‘Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.’ And the servant was healed at that very moment.”
Despite his stature as a Roman centurion, legally and socially above his servant and above the Jewish people, this man humbled himself. He sought to help his servant in time of need and to faithfully ask for Jesus’ help. He had seen and heard of Jesus’ power, and he knew Jesus was the Son of God. In this time of need, he went directly to the Lord of Lords for help, despite society’s rules. Often, we search for earthly solutions to our problems rather than going to Jesus himself. Even though he could have ignored the servant’s need for healing, the centurion chose to act. Sometimes we may ignore others' problems and label them as not ours to worry about. The centurion models bold faith and humility that we can look up to in our lives today.
Humbly, he came to Jesus with his request. Honoring His authority and holiness, the centurion stated that he was not worthy for Jesus to enter his home. We too should come before Jesus, acknowledging our unworthiness as sinners.
As a Roman centurion, he understood that true authority and power come not from within oneself, but from being under the authority of someone greater. He knew Jesus was directly under the authority of God, Creator of the Universe, and therefore could heal his servant.
Jesus was astonished by his faith and commended the centurion, saying he had not seen such faith in all of Israel (Matt. 8:10). Across Israel, Pharisees and many Jews had been rejecting salvation, refusing to hear Jesus’ message, and lacking faith. The centurion exemplified that Jewish blood did not warrant salvation and that his being a Gentile did not limit his faith. Jesus loves every single one of us and hopes we will have as much faith in him as the centurion!
Written By: Catherine Cagnina
Fruits of the Spirit
The fruits of the Spirit give us life and let us shine the light of Christ in this world. In Galatians, Paul tells us that the desires of the Spirit contrast and oppose the desires of the flesh. We are called to live and to walk by the Spirit, overflowing these fruits in our lives!
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”Galatians 5:22-25
Day after day, these fruits allow us to become more like Jesus. They are essential in living a Christ centered life. By the Holy Spirit’s guidance and our daily surrender to God, we can cultivate and display these fruits in our daily lives and in our walk with the Lord.
Let’s dive deeper into how each of these fruits apply to our lives, how they separate us from the world, and what it means to grow in each of the fruits.
Love
God is love! John 3:16 showcases how deeply intertwined love is within God’s being. God gave us the fruit of love by his action of sending us His Son and allowing Him to die on the cross for us.
Love is a choice and an action. We are called to love unconditionally just as God loves us. When we bear this fruit, we show love to our neighbor, enemy, and all we encounter.
Joy
As Christians walking in the Spirit and chasing Christ, joy is evident in our lives. Joy transcends circumstances because it is grounded in the knowledge of our salvation and God’s provisions over our lives. It is rooted in our understanding of God’s grace.
Joy strengthens us to be content regardless of the challenge or trial we face. Nehemiah 8:10, “The joy of the Lord is my strength,” reigns true always!
By the power of the Holy Spirit, we pray Romans 15:13 over you. Let the joy and peace of the Lord overflow onto you and all you encounter, today, tomorrow, and forever.
Peace
Peace is tranquility amidst chaos of the world that comes from our relationship with God. Peace causes us to be still and asks us to know that He is God, Psalm 46:10. Amidst trials and tribulations, we stand in our peace instead of participating in chaos.
Peace from God shows us that we do not need to be troubled or afraid, despite what the world may say. Jesus tells us of His peace in John 14:27,
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives
do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
The peace we are given from Jesus makes us understand beyond the world’s capabilities. Though trials in our lives may seem irreparable, we know God restores all things better than before. We know He has a perfect plan and purpose for our lives, and that He works all things out for the good of those who love Him. Philippians 4:7, Romans 8:28, Isaiah 46:10
We pray that the peace of His Spirit flows over your life!
Patience
Patience teaches us to endure trials with grace and with composure. As moments in life test our bandwidth for patience, we are reminded how patient God has been with us. The Holy Spirit pushes us to extend the same patience for others.
“But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” Romans 8:25
Patience cultivates a hopeful mindset in waiting. It allows us to be content as we have hope in God’s faithful plan. Some of us are waiting for miracles in real time. We pray the Spirit will pour patience over you, and that hope, peace, and joy will wrap around you in this season of waiting.
Kindness
Kindness calls us to show compassion and consideration toward others. It spurs us to be quick to help and quick to forgive.
“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”Ephesians 4:32
Kindness reflects God’s character. It is filled with tender, genuine concerns for the other that are followed by actions. Kindness seeks to lift burdens, share encouraging words, and give grace in difficult circumstances.
Praise the Lord that we do not have to rely on our flesh to be kind to others! And thank you, Holy Spirit, for filling us with kindness when we cannot find it in our own strength.
Goodness
Goodness is the fruit of integrity and righteousness. It is about living your life in a way that seeks doing what is good in God’s eyes, despite what the world says.
“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9
Do not worry that your good acts will be taken advantage of or used against you. Keep on doing good to your neighbor because you will reap the harvest. God sees your every action. You will see the good fruits of our labor!
As David reminds us in Psalm 23, the goodness of God will follow you all the days of your life!
Faithfulness
The Lord is faithful and He will be faithful to you. Faithfulness is a fruit that encourages us to be trustworthy and dependable in our relationship and commitment with Christ. It is about keeping our promise to God as he keeps his promise to us.
1 Corinthians 1:9 tells us that God is faithful and we also must stay faithful. The Holy Spirit strengthens us to develop our faith and remain still knowing He is God.
Be faithful to what God calls you to do. Seek first the kingdom of God and all things will come to you! Stay faithful in the small and God will reward you with the big. Be encouraged and depend on God. He will never fail you! Matthew 6:33, Matthew 25:23, Psalm 37:5
Gentleness
Gentleness reminds us to be meek and humble. The Spirit gives us this fruit so that we may approach others with respect and understanding, despite the circumstances. In His sermon on the mount, Jesus gave us the beatitudes, telling us the importance of gentleness.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5
As we look to be like Christ, gentle and humble, He will You will bring rest to our souls. Take your rest in Jesus!
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:29
Self Control
Self control is an essential for managing our desires of the flesh, resisting temptation, and making choices that honor the Lord.
Self control protects us from the destructive desires of the flesh. Proverbs 25: 28 says, “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.”
Be encouraged! As you walk in the Spirit, you will be strengthened with the gift of self control.
”For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”2 Timothy 1:7
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It takes time to grow fruits. If you need a specific fruit, pray and ask for the Holy Spirit to help you grow it. He will do the heavy lifting for you! Let us pray together for God to help us grow in these fruits and become more like Christ every day.
Without knowing Christ, there is no way we are able to carry these fruits. In order for us to have these fruits in our life, we must know him, love him, imitate him, and walk with him.
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:4-5
If you do not know Jesus, you can invite Him to be the Lord of your life right now.
Please follow this page to learn all the ways Jesus loves you.
Written by: Catherine Cagnina
A Mother’s Love Is a Reflection of God’s Heart
Mothers are an integral part of our lives. After all, none of us would be here but for our mothers! Mothers of all kinds deserve to be elevated with honor today.
A mother’s love goes deeper than biology. It gives us a glimpse into God’s steadfast, eternal love for us.
Mothers love with intention, hold happy and sad tears, and shape their children with tender care while making courageous choices.
This picture is painted beautifully by Mother Mary. She said yes to God’s call, carried our Savior, and stood near the cross as He gave His life for us. Mary’s sacrificial, courageous, and enduring love shows us that motherhood is not only physical but also spiritual. With this in mind, we turn to the story of Moses. Here we see again how God works through the love of mothers.
Moses had two real mothers: his biological mother, Jochebed, and his adoptive mother, Pharaoh’s daughter. Both mothers made courageous choices to love Moses and shape him into a strong man of God, as told in Exodus 2:1-10.
Moses was born into a world of death. Pharaoh’s decree sentenced him to death upon his birth. Jochebed, Moses’ mother, and Moses’ father were determined to keep Moses alive. They disobeyed Pharaoh and risked their own lives for him to live. Hebrews 11:23 tells us that Jochebed and Moses’ father hid Moses for three months after he was born. Every cry, every daylight hour spent hidden away, Jochebed chose Moses over herself for three months.
Those who have had newborns know that the first three months are the hardest. Sleep is minimal, cries can feel continual, and time outdoors is most refreshing. Jochebed spent these twelve weeks hiding away with Moses, staying out of the public eye and choosing every day to put faith over fear.
Jochebed hid herself and Moses as long as she could. People knew she had been pregnant, and Moses was growing bigger every day. Jochebed made a basket of reeds, applied pitch to make it water resistant, and laid baby Moses softly inside. Walking to the river, she probably cried tears of heartache, but her faith strengthened her to put one foot in front of the other. She placed him in the river and set him adrift into the promises of God.
Her faith in God was so great that she was able to trust Him with the life of her son. Motherhood is filled with making courageous choices for your children and trusting that God remains faithfully in control. Mary did this as Jesus hung on the cross. Just as Jochebed released Moses into the river, Mary released Jesus into the will of the Father. She trusted even in deep sorrow. God is faithful in every surrender. He knows how much mothers care, and He remains in control even in loss or heartache. Our Lord comforts the brokenhearted. He grants peace and comfort when joy feels far away, and He promises an eternal reunion of mothers with their children, just as Mary resides with Jesus now.
Pharaoh’s daughter, the Egyptian princess, went down to the river to bathe when she saw the basket floating. She sent her servants to fetch the basket and found a baby boy, Moses, helpless and alone. She knew he was Hebrew because of his circumcision. Ignoring her father’s decree, she chose to show Moses compassion and give him life. Despite the risk, she chose to love and nurture Moses as her own child.
Both women chose to give Moses love. This is what made them both his mothers.
His birth mother risked her life to save his life. His adoptive, Egyptian mother risked the wrath of her father, the Pharaoh, to save his life. These are acts of deep, maternal love. Both of these women chose to love Moses more than they loved themselves.
Because they loved him so much, he was able to fulfill God’s destiny for him to lead the Jewish people out of slavery, cross the Red Sea, defeat the Egyptian armies without a sword or shield, and guide his people toward the promised land.
Mary chose to sacrificially love her Son, whom she knew belonged to God. Motherhood found Mary unexpectedly, and still she said yes to the child placed before her, disregarding the cultural costs. From His conception to His death on the cross, she walked in obedience and trust. Mary’s love brought forth the Savior of the world and made way for our redemption.
God uses a mother’s love to shape His children into mighty men and women of God and to prepare them for their God-given destiny.
Today, we celebrate and thank all mothers for the love, sacrifice, and devotion they have given. If you have felt the love of a mother, biological, emotional, or adoptive, you have been given a gift. Rejoice and praise the Lord!”
Written by: Catherine Cagnina
Easter Sunday
HE IS RISEN! Happy Easter! Let us recall the scriptures today as we celebrate our Lord conquering death and giving us the gift of our salvation through faith in Him.
The Resurrection
Matthew 28:1-10
On the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene and Mary went to visit Jesus’ tomb. An angel of the Lord descended from Heaven and rolled the stone away! The guards were shaking with fear as the angel was sitting upon the stone. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you,” (Matt. 28:5-7) As the women ran away in shock and great joy, Jesus met them and greeted them! They praised Him, worshipping at His feet.
The Great Commission
That day, Jesus met the eleven disciples in Galilee as He had said. Jesus gave them the great commission, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matt 28:17-20) As we return to our daily lives next week, let us remember that Jesus has called us to spread the Good News and share His love with the nations!
Written By: Catherine Cagnina
Good Friday
Good Friday
Matthew 27:1-61
As morning came, the chief priests and elders met officially, following their unofficial and illegal meeting the night before. This morning's trial was the same as the night before…”They conferred together against Jesus to put Him to death. They bound Him, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate the Governor.” (Matt. 27:1-2)
Judas’ Remorse
Matthew 27:1-9
When he saw Jesus was going to be put to death, Judas regretted betraying Jesus and went to the elders, begging them to stop what they were doing. They did not care nor want the money back, so Judas threw back the thirty pieces of silver and left. In his unrepentant despair, Judas took his own life. Considering the money as unclean, the priests decided to use it to purchase the Potter’s field as a burial place for strangers. “And that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: ‘And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of the one whose price had been set by the sons of Israel; and they gave them for the Potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.’” (Matt. 27:9-10, Zechariah 11:12-13)
Jesus Before Pilate
Matthew 27:11-26
As they delivered Him to Pilate, the priests accused Jesus of claiming to be a king and defying Caesar (Luke 23:2). Standing beaten and bloody before Pilate, the governor asks with probable sarcasm, “‘Are you the king of the jews?’ and Jesus said to him, ‘It is as you say,” (Matt. 27:11).
The chief priests were shouting and accusing Him of many things, yet He remained silent. Pilate was puzzled and amazed that Jesus remained quiet to the various allegations being raised against Him.
At the feast of Passover, it was custom for the governor to release a prisoner of the people’s choosing. Pilate knew the elders had handed over Jesus because of envy and emotion, and he hoped to release Jesus. At the time, a notorious prisoner Barrabas was being held. So, Pilate asked the people, “‘Who is it that you would like me to release for you, Barrabas, or Jesus who is called the Christ?’” (Matt. 27:17). The elders swayed the crowd and they began to shout for Barrabas. Pilate asked what then shall he do with Jesus, and the crowd roared “Crucify Him!” (Matt. 27:22-23).
Jesus’ cross was for Barrabas. He probably heard the crowd yell, “Crucify Him!” and thought he was awaiting death as guards appeared at his cell. Barrabas knew the meaning of the cross before we did, but we do not know if he took it to heart.
Pilate knew Jesus was innocent and declared Him as so. He washed his hands in front of the crowd as a meaningless act to absolve his guilt and proclaimed Jesus’ blood is on their hands, not his. “And all the people said, ‘His blood shall be on us and on our children!’ Then he released Barrabas for them; but after having Jesus scourged, he handed him over to be crucified.” (Matt. 27: 25-26).
Knowing Jesus was innocent, Pilate chose to have him flogged, an act done before every Roman execution with the purpose of weakening the victim near to the point of death. Jesus was struck numerous times with iron balls, leather thongs, and sheep bones that tore into His flesh and muscles.
Jesus is Mocked
Matthew 27:27-32
“The soldiers of the governor took Jesus into Praetorium and gathered the whole Roman cohort around Him.” (Matt. 27:27) Only a few soldiers would have been necessary, yet the whole cohort of soldiers arrived to beat and mock Jesus.
They stripped Jesus of His clothes, mocked Him, beat him, and humiliated Him. They put a scarlet robe over His bleeding, fleshed back, twisted together a crown of thorns, pressed it into His head, and put a reed in His right hand. They mocked Him by kneeling and sneering, “Hail, King of the jews!” (Matt. 27:29). Then the mockery turned to cruelty. They took the reed from Him and beat His head repeatedly with it. Before leading Him away, they took off the scarlett robe and put back on His garments. Jesus was brutally beaten and utterly exhausted. As He began carrying His cross, which weighed close to 100 lbs, soldiers found a man named Simon and forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. Though Simon was a traveller and possibly unaware of who Jesus was other than an accused criminal, Mark 15:21 and Romans 16:13 share that Simon’s family became early leaders in the Christian church!
The Crucifixion
Matthew 27:38-41
Jesus arrived at Golgotha, the Place of a Skull, and he was offered “wine mixed with gall” but refused to drink it. This was a pain-numbing drink commonly offered before being hung on the cross, yet Jesus refused it. (Matt. 27:33-34)
The Romans crucified Him. On the cross above His head, they put a sign that read “THIS IS JESUS KING OF THE JEWS”. They sat to keep watch over Him and divided up his garments among themselves by casting lots. Beside Jesus were two criminals. The bystanders, chief priests, and crowds were all mocking him, saying if He is God that He should save himself. “He trusts in God; Let God God rescue Him now, if He delights in Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”(Matt. 27:37,43)
At the sixth hour, complete darkness covered the earth until the ninth hour. And “Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘ELI, ELI LAMA SABACHTHANI?’ that is, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?’” (Matt. 27:46). The crowd speculated that Elijah may come save Him and someone ran to give Jesus a drink on a sponge.
Jesus’ Death
Matthew 27:50-54
As Jesus takes his last breath, God makes it known that Jesus was His Son.
“And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up His spirit. And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and rocks were split. The tombs were opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;” (Matt. 27:50-52). The Roman soldiers keeping watch over Him instantly knew He was God.
Burial of Jesus
Matthew 27:59-61
As the evening came, a rich man named Joseph went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. He agreed, and Joseph wrapped Jesus’ body in linen cloth and laid Him in a new tomb that he had made. Joseph rolled a large stone to cover the tomb.
Written By: Catherine Cagnina