We are often lame in giving thanks. Think of the times when in great distress and pain of heart you have cried out to the good God to have mercy, nay, even to work a miracle. And He did. Then what?
In Today’s Gospel lesson [John 5:1-15] we read the story of a man who had been ill for almost 40 years. The Lord asked him, “Do you want to be healed?” And the man, certainly owing to his good upbringing said, “Yes sir! I appreciate your asking! Please — and I thank you!” And the Lord healed him, the man thanked him, and everyone was happy. In fact, the man was so blessed by the Lord that he went on to be quite rich.
Had it been one of us, we might have whined about having no one to help us. We might have even complained about some of the folks who’d received healing over the years in front of, instead of, us!
What if, even in the midst of our weaknesses, the Lord healed us anyway? What if he simply said: “Rise, take up your pallet, and walk?”
Lo and behold, stood up and walked we did! Imagine.
It has happened, no doubt. In fact, of course, that’s what really happened in today’s Gospel lesson. And the healed man went immediately to the Lord, fell down at His feet and worshipped him. Right? Nope. That Gospel account has yet to be found.
Rather, the man simply moved on. He didn’t even know who Jesus was.
Can you imagine?
Well …
Come to think of it …
We probably can. It may happen that the Lord often answers our pleas for help and after the worst is past, or bypassed, we forget … and move on.
But the Gospel passage doesn’t end there. This miracle just so happened on that one day of the week when, whether you were just miraculously healed or not (I don’t care who you are or how long you been ailing), you weren’t supposed to be carrying around a pallet. The man was questioned, but he was ignorant.
Then, I told you he was blessed, he was found by the Lord again. Jesus said: “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse befall you.”
And the man didn’t even have to ask. He knew. At that moment, he knew whom it was that had healed him. Voila! He was healed again! This time, of ignorance. For there was only one man going around speaking with authority about such things: Jesus of Nazareth. And he told the world — not only the Jews, but the world (me, you, them too) that it was Jesus who had healed him.
The man was now walking the walk and — you gotta forgive me here, but this will preach — talking the talk!
And yet, in the midst of this miracle, another change happened. If we read on to John 5:16, we read:
“And this was why the Jews persecuted Jesus, because he did this on the sabbath. “
Joshua at A Whistling Train says it well:
In this Sunday’s Gospel lesson, Christ heals the Paralytic on the Sabbath, scandalizing the Pharisees. One of the points that Christ makes is that there is a spirit behind the Law, behind every rule, commandment, and precept. It is the spirit that is important, as we train for the race, for the fight, for this road of life. To live by the letter and not by the spirit is the same as [to speak] in tongues and move mountains, but have not love.
Christ does not tell us to dismiss the commandment outright – to not keep the Sabbath – but He reminds us of its underlying spirit. This spirit is the essence of the Law and the prophets. It is love.
Love it is that heals and soothes. Love it is that creates and recreates. Love it is that transforms and reigns. Love is key. Love covers a multitude of sins. For without love we are lost.
On this Fourth Sunday after Pascha, as we approach Mid-Feast, let us give thanks to the good God who first loved us.
As we stand in thy holy house, we thine unworthy servants, offer thee … praise from the depths, shouting, O Christ God, O thou who hast lighted the world with thy third-day Resurrection, deliever thy people from the hands of thine enemies, O Lover of mankind.
(from Vespers)
Christ is Risen!
