The WORD today reminds me how powerful obeying God's word is.
The
gospel shows us the story of Jesus healing a man on a Sabbath. Unlike most
miracles where he touches sick people, in the gospel, He need not touch the
man. He just gave him instructions and he was healed - to rise up and walk.
Jesus probably saw the faith in the man, and he recognized it. However, when he
healed the man, it was not the end of it. Jesus told the man to rise up and
take his mat. Jesus wanted the man not only to confirm to himself that he is
well, but more so to obey him - to act and do his part to be fully healed.
Obeying God is powerful.
Even if Jesus gave the
instruction and healed the man, he would not have felt it had he not moved. He
would not realize he has been healed if he did not obey Jesus. That’s what God
wants from us. God wants us not only to
have faith in him, but to obey as well.
Sometimes,
God's ways are different from ours. Probably the man was expecting Jesus to
touch him or carry him into the water to be healed. Probably the man was
hopeless, as we saw in his answer to Jesus. Jesus just said the word. We too
probably experience this. Sometimes we feel that God's ways are different, that
it is not what we expect. Sometimes it may even seem crazy. However, as we saw
in the gospel, as long as we obey, no matter what God tells us, then we would feel
his healing love, we would get
our prayers answered.
However,
when the man saw Jesus again, Jesus continued to give him instructions. Jesus
told him to live right. Jesus told him to not sin anymore so nothing worse may
happen to him. He was given complete healing - both body and spirit. It is just
up to the man if he will obey. And Jesus expects him to obey and live right to
enjoy the benefits of his healing love.
We are going through a very challenging time right now. However, we know what God wants from us. We know ways of fighting the virus. We should stay home. We should help others - the front-liners and those affected by community lockdown. In our own little way, we can do things. Question is, will we like the man who will act. Will we be like the man who did his part to be healed and saved? How will we respond to the situation we are in?
We are going through a very challenging time right now. However, we know what God wants from us. We know ways of fighting the virus. We should stay home. We should help others - the front-liners and those affected by community lockdown. In our own little way, we can do things. Question is, will we like the man who will act. Will we be like the man who did his part to be healed and saved? How will we respond to the situation we are in?
What
are my prayers? What are my concerns? How does God answer me? Does he answer in
ways I do not expect? How do I react? Do I obey him nonetheless? What is he
telling me today?
May
we be reminded to obey God, no matter how trivial or crazy his instructions for
us are.
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 don't obey you. Sorry for the times I want you to
conform to what I want, and not for me to just humbly obey you. Help me have
faith like the man, and help me have his will. May I always be ready to follow
you no matter what you ask of me. May I always remember that simple acts become
powerful if blessed by you. Help us and lead us Lord. Amen.
Blessed Day!
In Christ,
-g-
Ps
See related reflection:
March
24, 2020
4th
Week of Lent - Tuesday; Blessed Diego
FIRST
READING
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
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.
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
A
clean heart create for me, O God; give me back the joy of your salvation.
GOSPEL
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.
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.
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