Not Hopeless

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/032817.cfm) reminds me that with God in my life, there will never be a hopeless situation. 

There are times in life that we feel hopeless. Sometimes we feel we are trapped. We feel we cannot do anything with the situation. We feel that no matter how hard we try, we just cannot get out of it. This is probably how the man felt in the gospel. Good thing Jesus came to his life. 

The gospel shows that Jesus healed a man who has been suffering for thirty-eight years! How great his love for us is, as shown through the man. The man was helpless, even though he is trying his best, on his part, to be healed. During that time, It was believed that when the water in the pool stirs up, those who would be able to go there would be healed. Syempre madaming tao, and being ill for a long time, mahina sya. Kaya nauunahan sya lagi. He probably felt hopeless. He probably felt nothing can change. But he was wrong. 

Having Jesus in our life changes the situation. 

Jesus saw his faith and healed him by his word. As the man responded and did what Jesus told him, he was healed. This is how great God is! This is how powerful yet merciful He is. If we have him in oir life, nothing is hopeless. If we have him, we should not be afraid. We should have faith that he will be with us and equip us with everything that we need.  

As we are healed, we should also remember to do our part and stay in Him. God is merciful, but he is also a God of justice. Kapag pasaway tayo, yari tayo. Jesus told the man in the gospel ”Look, you are well, do not sin no more, so that nothing worse may happen to you” we should continue living right. We should continue doing what he wants us to do. 

What situation am I in right now? Do I feel helpless and hopeless? How many times have God saved me from a seemingly impossible situation? What is he reminding me today?

May we always remember how powerful and loving God is, and that having him in our life changes everything. May this lead us to have more faith in Him. 

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, sorry for the times I feel hopeless. Sorry for the times I forget you. Sorry for the times I am overwhelmed by the situation. Help me remember your love. Help me remember your goodness. Help me remember your power. I know that having you in my life changes everything. May I live having this in mind. Amen. 

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Ps

See related reflection:

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2015/03/stay-clean.html

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March 28, 2017
Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent
Lectionary: 245

Reading 1 Ez 47:1-9, 12

The angel brought me, Ezekiel,
back to the entrance of the temple of the LORD,
and I saw water flowing out
from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east,
for the façade of the temple was toward the east;
the water flowed down from the right side of the temple,
south of the altar.
He led me outside by the north gate,
and around to the outer gate facing the east,
where I saw water trickling from the right side.
Then when he had walked off to the east
with a measuring cord in his hand,
he measured off a thousand cubits
and had me wade through the water,
which was ankle-deep.
He measured off another thousand
and once more had me wade through the water,
which was now knee-deep.
Again he measured off a thousand and had me wade;
the water was up to my waist.
Once more he measured off a thousand,
but there was now a river through which I could not wade;
for the water had risen so high it had become a river
that could not be crossed except by swimming.
He asked me, "Have you seen this, son of man?"
Then he brought me to the bank of the river, where he had me sit.
Along the bank of the river I saw very many trees on both sides.
He said to me,
"This water flows into the eastern district down upon the Arabah,
and empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh.
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.
Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow;
their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail.
Every month they shall bear fresh fruit,
for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary.
Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine."

Responsorial Psalm Ps 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9

R. (8) The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
God is our refuge and our strength,
an ever-present help in distress.
Therefore we fear not, though the earth be shaken
and mountains plunge into the depths of the sea.
R. The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God,
the holy dwelling of the Most High.
God is in its midst; it shall not be disturbed;
God will help it at the break of dawn.
R. The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
The LORD of hosts is with us;
our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Come! behold the deeds of the LORD,
the astounding things he has wrought on earth.
R. The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob.

Verse Before the Gospel Ps 51:12a, 14a

A clean heart create for me, O God;
give me back the joy of your salvation.

Gospel Jn 5:1-16

There was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
Now there is in Jerusalem at the Sheep Gate
a pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, with five porticoes.
In these lay a large number of ill, blind, lame, and crippled.
One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years.
When Jesus saw him lying there
and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him,
"Do you want to be well?"
The sick man answered him,
"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."
Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your mat, and walk."
Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked.

Now that day was a sabbath.
So the Jews said to the man who was cured,
"It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to carry your mat."
He answered them, "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.