Sign or Saviour -4th Week of Lent- Tuesday-John 5: 1-16
Announce a ‘healing service’ in your Church and you will have to provide for many more chairs. Lead your congregation in prayer before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and you may have to take away a couple of benches. Ironic but true, we are looking for signs not a Saviour! The gospels don’t mince words, “its a wicked generation that wants a sign.” The gospel of John teaches us that Jesus’ words are the real source of faith and not the signs (John 4:50).
Let’s look at some of the issues that this gospel raises. Why did Jesus choose this cripple? Why not the rest? We are told that ‘many invalids’ lay there (5:3) and there were great ‘crowds’ (5:13). What about the intention of the cripple? He does not seem to even want to be healed! To Jesus’ question, “do you want to be made well”, he launches into his problems (sounds like us) rather than a direct yes that should have been on the lips of one suffering for “thirty eight years”.
It is true that we look for healing more than worshipping God for his being. Hope God helps us understand the greater purpose of the life he has blessed us with. Thanks Fr. for this thought provoking reflection.
Awesome revelation that hits the nail on the head!
Beautiful insight Fr. Love the reflection. Thanku for sharing!
Thanks Fr. for the reflection. Had a query: You mentioned Jesus chose some and not all to be healed. Why? Since He loves all of us, wouldn’t He want the best for all of us.
We certainly don’t know why he did not choose all. It is true he loves us all. Perhaps the answer is not so much in the choice of person but rather the purpose of healing.
Nice Reflection Father.”It is sad that often healing is linked to a lack of ‘sufficient faith’; a pet justification of ‘faith healers’ for a failed miracle, leading to an undue guilt on the part of the one seeking a healing.”This line on reflection is true,I always felt like this when I don’t get answer to my prayer.I think Jesus takes its own time but he heals.Many time in Bible Jesus said because of lack of faith,Healing didn’t happened.I pray that Lord increase our faith in you.Amen