Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent - March 21, 2023

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Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12 John 5:1-16

Today’s Gospel is a story not only of healing but also a glimpse into Jesus establishing His authority. He was in Jerusalem for a Jewish feast when he performed a healing on the Sabbath and then instructed the healed paralytic to take up his mat and walk. Scripture reveals that Jesus’ actions were controversial for many of the Jews in the crowd. With confidence in his authority, Jesus demonstrated a new way of
defining what is truly important according to God’s Law.

I was struck by a couple of aspects in this reading. Firstly, in the Gospel of John it was Jesus who instigated the contact with the paralytic man. When Jesus saw him lying there he knew he had been ill for a long time. His question to the man was, “Do you want to be well?” Since the man didn’t know of Jesus, he didn’t answer that question. The man just told Him that he wanted help getting into the pool when the water stirred and then he would have a chance to be healed. He didn’t grasp what Jesus was offering him. He unknowingly asked for less.

Secondly, I wonder how many times I have prayed without really knowing Jesus. I’m sure I told Him how to do things more than trusting that He knows more than I do. Unlike the paralytic man, I HAVE heard of Jesus and know that He knows what’s best for me. He may ask, “Do you want to be well?”. Although my personal meaning of “well” might be different from God’s, I think that I should just reply, “yes” and “thank you”. He is the Authority and the Healer. He doesn’t need instructions from me.

Q: How have I responded to God’s voice in my life? Have I accepted less from Christ than what he is
offering me?

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