Jesus Christ Healing a Paralyzed Man By The Pool

-
John the gospel writer wrote an account of Jesus healing a man paralyzed for thirty-eight years (John 5: 1-15). The miracle happened when Jesus visited Jerusalem for a Jewish feast. In Jerusalem, Jesus dropped by the Sheep Gate, a pool called Bethesda.

The Jews, of that period, believed that the pool had healing powers every time an angel passed over the waters. There were so many disabled (blind, lame, paralyzed) people lying around the pool watching for that movement on the water. I could just imagine all the disabled scrambling to jump in the pool when the water stirs.

One of the disabled was a invalid who had been in that condition for thirty-eight years. Jesus saw that man lying there and went over to him and learned of his long-term condition. Jesus then asked him, "Do you want to get well?" The invalid didn't knew who Jesus was. He probably hadn't heard that Jesus was a healer.

Instead of saying yes to Jesus, the invalid replied, "Sir, I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me." The invalid was so wrapped up in his misery that he failed to see the offer of healing in front of him.

Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick-up your mat and walk." At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. Notice that Jesus was emphatic when he told the man to get up. 

The invalid didn't question the command. He didn't mention something like, "Are you for real?" He just followed what Jesus told him and stood up.

In our own lives, we experience long-term difficulties. They maybe about our health, our relationship, or our finances. Because it had affected us for a long time, we tend to believe that it will not pass. We become so wrapped up in it that our minds have been stuck in a sense of hopelessness. 

Reflecting about the miracle at the pool, Jesus has a way of snapping us out of our long-term misery. Just like what he did for the paralyzed man by the pool. Remember, the man suffered from that condition for thirty-eight long years.

Jesus uses people, situations, serendipity, and inspiring words to nudge us out of our mental rut caused by our long-term misery. He replaces our sense of despair with a sense of hope. All we have to do is listen and respond to his nudge.

The miracle story didn't end with the invalid standing up and picking up his mat. The Jews, probably Pharisees, asked the invalid who ordered him to pick up his mat. They said it's not allowed because it's a Sabbath. The healed invalid didn't know Jesus. They weren't able to confront Jesus because he disappeared into the crowd.

Later, Jesus met the healed invalid at the temple. Perhaps, the man wanted to thank God for his healing. When they bumped into each other, Jesus said to the man, "See you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you." In that part of the story, Jesus was concerned not only about the man's physical condition but also about his spiritual condition. 

Unfortunately, the healed man finally aware of Jesus' identity told the Pharisees that it was Jesus who told him to pick up his mat. Talk about being ungrateful. 

Jesus performed the miracle even though it was risky for him and it had not been appreciated. That shows that Jesus goes out of his way for us no matter what.

The Covid-19 pandemic has raged on for twenty months now and we see no end in sight. It has clouded us with a sense of despair. Sadly, it has hit close to home. 

Placing faith in the account of the healing of the invalid by the pool, Jesus Christ is always around to snap us out of our mental rut caused by the pandemic. He is also concerned with our spiritual well-being and works to snap us out of our sins and idols. He says it's for our own good. All we need to do is to listen and respond when he nudges us out of our miseries and our sins.



 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Seventies - The "Disco" Era

-
Image
The seventies was undoubtedly the "disco" era.  As a teenager, I listened and danced to the distinct sound of that era. When "Saturday Night Fever" hit the movie theaters in 1978,  I became an avid fan of the Bee Gees and other bands that played the disco sound.   Besides listening to disco sound, I also mimicked dance steps like the "swing" and "L.A. shuffle" from a local popular TV show the "Penthouse Seven." I strutted my stuff every time  I danced with a partner at birthday parties held in friends' residences. Bands that dished out disco tunes during the '70s were  ABBA  with their  song "Dancing Queen";   Donna Summer 's   goosebumps-raising song "Last Dance."  Other bands like  KC and the Sunshine Band ,  The Trammps ,  Van McCoy ,  Gloria Gaynor ,  The Village People ,  Chic , and  The Jacksons   also flooded the radio airwaves in the '70s .   I even followed their progress over...
Read more

Grandfather@50

-
Image
I will be turning 50 before the  end of this year, and what better way to usher in my golden boy status is becoming a bonafide grandfather.  I now have a grandson, his name is Samien. He was born on April 25, 2012. His parents say that the name means "to be heard".  I guess their choice was right because when Samien cries, he is really heard by everybody. I noticed remarkable things in Samien.  While just a new born, he showed to us that he has strong legs and arms.  He can push himself upwards in the crib and was tireless in raising his small arms every  now and then.  Also, he is not the quiet type because he always cries and laughs unlike other babies inside the nursery who are peacefully asleep.  At three months old, he speaks amusing although unintelligible syllables.  Also, at three months, he is rather long for babies his age and quite heavy for a three month old baby.  He weighed in at 5 kilogram during his visit to his pedia...
Read more

Organic Rice in the Philippines For Healthy Living

-
Image
Do you prefer healthy living? Go organic rice! Health buffs would like to get their hands on real organic rice. If you're one of them, do you know which ones are authentic organic rice? This blog will tell you all you need to know about organic rice. Some people think that organic rice is red and brown rice variety only.  Not really. It comes in other varieties and colors such as white, black, etc.  The idea that red and brown alone are organic rice is wrong.  These rice varieties are now sold under specific brands in leading supermarkets in the Philippines, however, not all of them are organic rice. But how will you know if you're buying organic rice or not? Organic rice is farmed without using synthetic fertilizer and chemical pesticide inputs. Besides the inputs, there are other things to consider such as -  How was it planted? What were the farming methods used? Was there contamination along the supply chain until it has reached the end consumer? There...
Read more