Do You Want to be Healed?

~~~ Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12 ~~~ Psalm 46 ~~~ John 5:1-16 ~~~

An angel brought Ezekiel to witness the rising waters.
The waters became deeper and deeper until
swimming was the only way to cross.

He sat on the edge of the water and saw life
 bursting forth all around him.

These rising waters birthed life...

Wherever the river flows,
every sort of living creature 
that can multiply shall live,
and there shall be abundant fish,
for wherever this water comes 
the sea shall be made fresh.

...shall be made fresh...
in Baptism we too are made fresh in the pouring of the water.

Jesus speaks to the crippled man who has been sitting
on the edge of the bubbling pool of water for many years.

The sick would congregate around this pool of water.
The water had healed others but today Jesus calls
out to the man.

“Do you want to be well?”

What a silly question to ask a man who has
been crippled for so many years.

Maybe, for some reason the man was resigned to his infirmity.
He had lost all hope of reaching the waters in time.

“Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool
when the water is stirred up;
while I am on my way, someone else 
gets down there before me.”

If we wait for someone else to help us we may
trap ourselves into a place where we do not want to remain.

This man looked up into the eyes of Jesus
as if to say 'will you put me into the water' since you are here.

Jesus demonstrates to the man his own hidden energy...

 “Rise, take up your mat, and walk.”

Jesus saw the desire for healing in his heart.
Jesus is the fresh healing water.
Jesus is the Living Water.

This healing took place on the Sabbath.
The Jews observed strict rules for keeping holy the Sabbath
and 'work' was not allowed.

Jesus should not have healed.
The healed man should not have carried his mat.

Where should our priority lie?
When is it better to break a law than
 to blindly adhere to one?

Is it more important to help another than
to follow the letter of the law?

Jesus makes it very clear...
loving your neighbor is above strict observance of the law.

Jesus acts from a level much deeper than the law.
Jesus sees beyond the law.
The law keeps one from seeing the bigger picture.

If Ezekiel had been fearful of the rising waters
he may never have seen the resulting life and beauty.

Today ask yourself...
Do you want to be healed?
Create in me a clean heart, O Lord.

Blessings of healing.
~~~Peace~~~
Saint Patrick, pray for us.