DAILY- HOMILY

08 March 2016         

Tuesday, 4th Week of Lent 

St. John of God, Religious

Violet.       

Ez 47:1- 9, 12 / Jn 5:1– 16

St. John of God (1495 – 1550) worked for the sick in Granada, Spain; he founded the Order of Brothers Hospitallers of St. John of God dedicated to the infirm.

From the Gospel Reading: Jn 5:1– 3, 5 - 14

After this there was a feast of the Jews and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now, by the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem, there is a pool (called Bethzatha in Hebrew) surrounded by five galleries. In these galleries lay a multitude of sick people – blind, lame and paralyzed.

There was a man who had been sick for thirty-eight years. Jesus saw him, and since he knew how long this man had been lying there, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?" And the sick man answered, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is disturbed; so while I am still on my way, another steps down before me."

Jesus then said to him, "Stand up, take your mat and walk."  And at once the man was healed, and he took up his mat and walked.

Now that day happened to be the Sabbath.  So the Jews said to the man who had just been healed, "It is the Sabbath and the Law doesn't allow you to carry your mat."  He answered them, "The one who healed me said to me: Take up your mat and walk."  They asked him, "Who is the one who said to you: Take up your mat and walk?"  But the sick man had no idea who it was who had cured him, for Jesus had slipped away among the crowd that filled the place.

Afterwards Jesus met him in the Temple court and told him, "Now you are well; don't sin again, lest something worse happen to you." 

Reflection 

This is the story of a man who had been waiting to be healed for over thirty years.  More painful still, because of his illness, he had been physically unable to get into the healing waters without assistance.  In my eyes, this man was waiting in vain.  

It may seem redundant that Jesus had to ask the paralytic, "Do you want to be healed?"  Why else would the man linger there for thirty-eight years?  But as someone who is also suffering from a chronic condition, I can attest that this reading would challenge me and my faith as a Christian.  All of nature and science seems to be against the prospect of my getting healed at all.  My sickness is genetically inherited.  It has no known cure.  If Jesus were to ask me "Do you want to be healed?"  I would say, "I have already accepted the fact that I cannot be healed, and have decided to make the most of my situation."   

Let us ask the Lord to heal us spiritually, so that we may continue to accept our suffering with patience and joy, and inspire others to live a life of faith in the ultimate wisdom of God. God will provide for whatever Nature and Science cannot offer. And let us thank the Lord for seeing beyond our hopelessness and lack of faith.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     Vitaliano N. Nañagas III

IN MEMORIAM (+)

     Francisco T. Ong

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most. 

Have a good day!

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