Word to the Wise
Tuesday, March 29, 2022 - 4th Week of Lent - Tues
[Ezek 47:1-9, 12 and John 5:1-3a, 5-16]"The man who made me well told me, 'Take up your mat and walk.'" They asked him, "Who is the man who told you, 'Take it up and walk'?" The man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away, since there was a crowd there. After this Jesus found him in the temple area and said to him, "Look, you are well; do not sin any more, so that nothing worse may happen to you." The man went and told the Jews that Jesus was the one who had made him well. Therefore, the Jews began to persecute Jesus because he did this on a sabbath.
The Gospel According to John is ever fascinating to those who would comment on it. I think this is because of its dramatic quality in which the reader is drawn into the action itself, which is the principal point of any good drama presentation. We are more than objective readers of an ancient text. We are in the crowd at the pool of Bethesda. The crippled beggar has been a regular feature of the scene for 38 years!!. Begging has been his living! This may be behind his reply to Jesus' question, "Do you want to be well?" The response is not an "Of course!" Rather it is a claim that in 38 years he has not been able to get to the pool ahead of anyone else at the important time. His actions in response to Jesus' command seem more like, "May as well...." This is reflected in his response to the Jewish authorities as to why he is carrying something on the Sabbath: "The MAN who made me well told me 'Take up your mat and walk.'" Unlike the Samaritan woman in chapter 4 and the man born blind in chapter 9, Jesus' life-giving word does not always awaken faith! The former beggar goes and tattles to the authorities!
If we are comfortable with our lifelong, less-than-spiritual, ways of living and Jesus says to us, "Do you want to be well?" What do WE say? Do we reply, "I'm comfortable just the way I am!" Or, "It's too much trouble. I'm too habituated or too old! Leave me alone!" Hmmmm.....has Lent had any impact at all? AMEN