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.

Have You Looked Beyond the Rising Waters?

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

Rising waters on all sides...ankle deep, knee deep, waist deep, over the top of your head, swimming is the best alternative...
the first thoughts that come to mind for me here is the feeling of being overwhelmed with life. We try to be so strong but life has a way of smothering us with issues.

Spouse, work, children, parents, friends, neighbors, faith community, personal health, finances, automobile repairs, household chores, recreation...
How many ways can one individual handle life when the dump truck unloads all at the same time, right in your front yard? It makes you just want to curl up in a ball and hide, but you know you cannot.

You begin to notice there is a bank along this river and lining this bank are the trees of hope. This bank is rich with new life...leafy green fruit trees. The river is home to abundant fish and wildlife. Life is good if we look beyond the rising waters. God is providing; he is extending his care for all who come to the waters.

Come! sings the psalmist, "behold the deeds of the Lord, the astounding things he has wrought on earth."

The crippled man waiting to enter into the pool was overwhelmed and discouraged at not being able to carry himself to the water. Jesus speaks to the man causing him to look up. When you change your focus up to Jesus be prepared for your life to change as well. Jesus calmly said, "Rise, take up your mat, and walk."
Beside the waters God will provide for he is the Living Water...the water that daily sustains our life.

When you experience healing there comes a new responsibility. Your time of waiting has ended and now begins your time of action. You cannot keep this healing a secret you want to praise God for his goodness. This healing validates that you are loved and cared for by God. Whatever the nature of healing you need in your life it is possible to receive.

The healing of the heart may be the most profound healing of all.
When your heart is healed and cleansed with the living waters;
how can you deny having Joy in the Lord?

When the waters are rising all around you look for the Lord along the river bank.
He will be there with leafy green fruit bearing trees.
Hope lies near the Living Waters.

Paralysis is Not Just Physical

~~~ Isaiah 43: 18-19, 21-22, 24b-25 ~~~ Psalm 41~~~ 2Cor. 1: 18-22 ~~~ Mark 2: 1-12 ~~~

I know what it feels like to be paralyzed. It is frightening for your brain to be sending the message to move your legs, but the legs do not respond. When I four years old I contracted polio. The medical professionals had not determined how the disease was caught. Everyone was afraid. People did not want to mingle with others. People tried to isolate themselves in hopes of staying healthy.

Paralysis is a loss of muscle function in one part of your body; for me it was mostly the legs.

Probably the most famous person we know that became paralyzed was Christopher Reeves; better known as Superman. His paralysis was the result of a spinal cord injury. Some people become paralyzed following a stroke; as a result of compromised blood flow.

Bells Palsy is a paralysis of the face, which while not life threatening, greatly distraughts the patient. Our  physical appearance is important to us, so if part of your face is frozen with paralysis it is devastating.Today the women that use a popular facial injection are basically inducing paralysis of the facial muscles through a drug. Creating the effect that their wrinkles have diminished or even disappeared.

I had a physical paralysis, but that is not the only type.

There can be paralysis of the emotions and of the will.

The paralytic in today's gospel cannot walk otherwise his friends would not be carrrying him on his mat. He may have also suffered from paralysis of the heart until that day. Maybe he never expected to see the one he had heard about...The one who could heal. Maybe his paralysis had managed to overcome his heart, mind , and soul. But his freinds refused to let his paralysis be an excuse. I think those who suffer with depression have a kind of paralysis. It is not unusual when a person is depressed to not even get out of bed or care about eating.

You can suffer with paralysis of the spirit. If you are trapped in an addiction of alcohol, drugs, gambling, or pornography you are paralyzed to help yourself. People can be paralyzed by fear. They cannot escape from the danger because they cannot move. An extreme paralysis is seen if a person is catatonic.

Some people are paralyzed by indecision. They simply cannot decide which path to take or what decision is best for them. We might say they are stuck, but they are in fact paralyzed.

Jesus heals people with various afflictions including physical paralysis as well as spiritual paralysis. Maybe you do not realize you are spiritually paralyzed. You may go through the motions of parcticing your religion, but your heart is numb. You have no belief that God is near you. You do not believe that God loves you...you personally.

Paralysis is not always permanent. Mine was temporary, thank God. The hospitals today are doing wonderful things to restore and rehabilitate patients suffering with paralysis. Today people who once had no hope of walking again are learning to take their first steps.

As we begin Lent in a few days I invite you to look into your heart and see if there is any paralysis. If you discover there is ask God to restore the feeling in your heart. Paralysis robs you of feeling alive.

God is Life!
Look into the mirror and say I Choose Life. I want to feel alive.
The healing of the paralytic in today's gospel is a sign of hope for all who suffer from any paralysis.

This is a picture I took of a pink Crepe Myrtle in bloom. The bare branches support the delicate blossoms. When you are paralyzed you need some type of support...mat...device...or friends.

This kaleidoscope image represents hope in the clusters of pink surrounded by the blue sky. The black chain like parts are the paralysis in our life. Sometimes this paralysis is heavy and dark; other times it almost goes unnoticed but it still exists.

My prayer for you today is that you can 'pick up your mat and Glorify God'

...glorify him for all that he has done for you.