Today’s Gospel story of Jesus healing the paralyzed invalid follows the familiar pattern of most of the healing stories of Jesus. The scene around the pool of Bethzatha was one of destitution and misery. Very few ever went away healed. It was likely that Jesus’ appearance at the pool caused a stir among all who so desperately lay there. Very few healthy people would have gone near this mass of ragged humanity. Perhaps one hapless victim whispered to another, “Look, isn’t that the rabbi from Nazareth who is said to have healed the hopelessly ill? I have heard that he has even made unclean lepers well. Do you think he could possibly heal us?”
Jesus approached a paralytic on his mat, surmising that he had suffered for a long time, and asked, “Do you want to be made well?” The man seemed to have hesitated. Instead of shouting “ Yes, yes!,” he began telling Jesus what had prevented him from getting to the pool where a periodic geyser occurred and presumably the first one who touched the water would be made whole. Because the paralytic was so far away from the edge of the water and so severely crippled, his future was hopeless. He would never get to the pool in time. Jesus abruptly said, “Stand up! Be healed! Take up your mat, and walk out of this place of despair and death.”
Note that Jesus did not concentrate on finding out how the person got sick or what his exact diagnosis was. Jesus didn’t seem to be interested in how long the man had suffered by the edge of the pool. Jesus primarily concentrated on one thing, getting the person well. To be sure, it was perfectly understandable that all the paralytic could think about was how long he had suffered and how hopeless his case was, and all the reasons why he would never get well. But Jesus never, ever wanted to let people remain in the victim mode. Jesus never wanted for this man to think of himself as a victim again. Stand up! Hence the man no longer needed the goal to be first in the pool when the water stirred. The man could walk, it was time for him get out of there, and get on with his life as a whole person.
It is well that this story is told during the closing Sundays of the Easter Season for it reminds us that Easter is about giving us life, abundant life, not less death. If you take away anything from this reflection let it be that Easter is always about more life, not less death. Jesus was teaching us that we don’t overcome weaknesses, illness, problems, all the negative stuff of our lives by concentrating on them, but by seeking that which promotes health, promoting that which nourishes our strengths, and that which calls out the best within us. That is why in our gathering together, growing together community sessions, we are concentrating on what our strengths are and what the values are about St. John’s that touch our hearts. Again we are called to grow into abundant life and joy, not simply to seek less pain and death.
Years ago, people told the story of Jesus healing the paralytic where desperate people gathered by the pool to wait for the occasional geyser. It was included in many such stories of Jesus giving new life to them and many others. It was included in the greatest story of all, of Jesus overcoming death, even the terrible death by crucifixion. Those who gathered together, retold the stories, and shared a meal in memory of Jesus, discovered they in turn had been given fresh, and wonderful life. They were people of faith who said, “Yes” when Jesus asked, “Do you want to be healed?” That is how the church has grown, be it then or today.
And I offer this to you in the name of the Living God, Amen.
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