Commentary on the Gospel of
Look, you are well, do not sin anymore. - John 5:1-16
At a pool in Bethesda: a large number of ill, blind, lame, and crippled
Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up
The Jews began to persecute Jesus because he did this on a sabbath.
Jesus is our healer – He heals the wounded as well as those who facilitate healing in others. Jesus’ touch heals; his word restores; his mercy forgives; he unchains one from the bondage of sin and says: ‘Look, you are well, do not sin anymore.’
The gracious season of Lent generates freedom for all who let Jesus touch them especially through the sacrament of reconciliation. When one goes back, deep inside oneself to offload the buried, the buckled-up shortcomings of hatred and unforgiveness, then, casts them on the Lord Jesus Christ, that Lamb that takes away sin, the result is obvious: liberation, internal freedom that radiates on the shiny face. And Jesus says, ‘do not sin anymore’, in other word, stay safe from generating toxins through the instrumentality of guilt feeling. Chronic guilty feeling degenerates into psycho-somatic breakdowns. One is relieved from such breakdowns when freed from the bondage of sin. Stay relieved!
Our Lord likes to see each of us liberated! He takes the initiative of checking with the man: ‘do you want to be well?’ And the man’s response clearly shows the helpless state of one who journeys alone: ‘Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up.’ One thing is certain, Jesus does not leave alone those who seek his companionship! As he accompanied the man, not to jumped into the pool, but to full recovery, so does he readily offer his wonderful, healing, transforming presence to each of us – we only need to confide with Jesus. Say to him ‘no one else but You.’
Not everyone shouts ‘praise the Lord’ each time Jesus accomplishes a miracle! The Jews would find a reason to discredit him. ‘They began to persecute Jesus because he did this on a sabbath.’ Oh, how much we seek recognition and approval for what we accomplish. Yet, we are reminded that one of the main sources of stress and burn-out is external aggression from some who abhor anything godly. We are therefore warned not to relent in our honest efforts towards doing what we know that pleases God – acknowledged or not! Calumny, gossips, insults, deliberate set-ups could constitute the means aimed at dissuading one from persevering on one’s spiritual journey! Yet, such challenges may indeed be the spices that animate one’s route to Calvary at bid to experiencing the Paschal mystery. Like our Master, Jesus Christ, resilience is the key. Lord help us, amen.
