First Reading (Ez 47,1-9.12)
Reading of Ezekiel’s Prophecy.
In those days, the angel made me go back to the entrance of the Temple and behold, water was coming out of its underground part in the east direction, because the Temple was facing the east; the water ran on the right side of the Temple, south of the altar.
He made me go out through the door that faces north, and made me walk around outside, to the door that faces east, where I saw the water gushing out on the right side. When the man went out towards the east, with a measuring rope in his hand, he measured five hundred meters and made me cross the water: it reached my ankles.
He measured another five hundred meters and made me cross the water: it reached my knees. He measured another five hundred meters and made me cross the water: it came up to my waist. It measured another five hundred meters, and it was a river I couldn’t cross. Because the waters had grown so much that they became a river impossible to cross, except by swimming.
He said to me, “Have you seen, son of man?” Then he made me walk back along the riverbank. Returning, I saw many trees along the bank, on both sides of the river. Then he said to me, “These waters flow toward the east, down into the Jordan Valley, into the salt waters of the sea, and they will become healthy.
Wherever the river reaches, all the animals that move there will be able to live. There will be plenty of fish, as the waters that bring health flow there; and there will be life wherever the river reaches. On the banks next to the river, on both sides, all kinds of fruit trees will grow; its leaves will not wither and its fruits will never run out: each month they will bear new fruit, as the waters that bathe the trees come out of the sanctuary. Its fruits will be food and its leaves will be medicine.”
– Word of the Lord.
– Thank God.
Gospel (John 5:1-16)
— PROCLAMATION of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John.
— Glory to you, Lord.
There was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went to Jerusalem. There is in Jerusalem, near the Sheep Gate, a pool with five porches, called Bethesda in Hebrew. Many sick people were lying there — blind, lame and paralyzed. In fact, an angel would come down, from time to time, and move the water in the pool, and the first sick person who entered there, after the water bubbled, was cured of whatever illness he had. There was a man there who had been ill for thirty-eight years.
Jesus saw the man lying down and knowing that he had been sick for so long, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The patient replied: “Sir, I have no one to take me to the pool when the water is rough. When I’m arriving, another one gets in front of me.” Jesus said, “Get up, pick up your bed and walk.” At the same moment, the man was healed, picked up his bed and began to walk.
Now, that day was a Saturday. Therefore, the Jews told the man that he had been healed: “It is the Sabbath! You are not allowed to carry your bed.” He answered them, “He who healed me said, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’” Then they asked him: “Who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk?’” The man who had been healed did not know who it was, because Jesus had moved away from the crowd that was in that place.
Later, Jesus met the man in the Temple and said to him, “Behold, you are healed. Do not sin again, so that nothing worse happens to you.” Then the man went out and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. Therefore, the Jews began to persecute Jesus, because he did such things on the Sabbath.
— Word of Salvation.
— Glory to you, Lord.
Reflecting the Word of God
Brothers and sisters, may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Today, I would like to share a message that invites us to reflect on the incredible mercy of God, which manifests itself amidst our daily experiences. As we delve into the biblical passages presented to us – the First Reading from the Book of Ezekiel and the Gospel according to John – we will discover the depth of God’s love and the promise of healing and transformation that He offers us.
Imagine yourself walking along a beach, feeling the warm sand beneath your feet and listening to the gentle sound of waves breaking on the shore. It’s a sunny day, and you are surrounded by the beauty of God’s creation. As you walk, you see a river of pure, crystal-clear water flowing towards you. As you approach, you realize that this river is flowing from the temple of God. This is the image that the First Reading brings to us. The prophet Ezekiel transports us to a moment of renewal and restoration, where a river of living water flows from the temple and brings life wherever it goes. This river represents God’s presence and His ability to transform and renew us.
This image speaks to us of a profound truth: God desires to heal and transform us. He wants to bring abundant life to the dry and barren areas of our lives. Perhaps there are areas in our lives that seem barren and hopeless, where we experience pain, sadness, or emptiness. But God invites us to bring those areas to Him, allowing His river of grace and mercy to flow into our lives.
However, like the man in the Gospel of John, we are often tempted to settle for a life of paralysis and stagnation. The man at the pool of Bethesda was trapped in his condition of illness for thirty-eight years. He waited for someone to help him into the pool, believing that only then could he be healed. But Jesus, in His infinite mercy, approaches the man and asks him a simple question: “Do you want to be healed?”.
This question is directed to each one of us today: “Do you want to be healed?”. Jesus is inviting us to set aside our excuses, our complacency, and our lack of faith, and to open our hearts to His transformative healing. He is calling us to a life of fullness, freedom, and purpose.
However, we often cling to our wounds and limitations. We identify with them and become prisoners of our own limited mindset. But Jesus is inviting us to step away from the edge of the pool and to plunge into His river of grace. He invites us to trust in His Word and in His power to bring healing and transformation.
But how can we experience this healing and transformation in our daily lives? Allow me to give you some practical guidelines:
First, we need to acknowledge our needs and weaknesses before God. Sometimes, we try to hide our wounds and failures, but God invites us to bring everything before Him in humility and trust.
Second, we need to open our hearts to receive God’s grace and mercy. He is ready to forgive, heal, and renew us, but we need to be willing to let go of our resistance and surrender to Him.
Third, we need to seek God’s presence in our daily lives. This can be done through prayer, reading the Word, and participating in the sacraments. The closer we draw to God, the more fully we experience His healing and transformation.
Fourth, we need to allow the healing and transformation we experience in our lives to extend to others. Just as Ezekiel’s river of living water brings life wherever it goes, we are also called to be channels of God’s grace to the world around us. We can do this through acts of kindness, forgiveness, and compassion, bringing healing and hope to those within our reach.
Brothers and sisters, today we are invited to respond to Jesus’ call: “Do you want to be healed?”. May we respond with an open and confident heart, allowing God’s river of grace to flow into our lives and transform us. May we abandon our limitations and walk in the freedom and fullness that He offers us.
May the image of Ezekiel’s river of living water and the encounter of the man with Jesus at the pool of Bethesda remain in our minds and hearts. May these stories remind us of God’s mercy and His deep desire to heal and transform us.
Throughout this week, I invite you to reflect on the areas in your lives that need God’s healing and transformation. Allow His grace to flow into your lives, bringing life and renewal. And, in response to this love and mercy, share this grace with those around you.
May God, in His infinite goodness, guide and strengthen us on this journey of healing and transformation. May His Holy Spirit fill us with courage and faith to embrace the fullness of life that He offers us.
May the truths we reflect on today remain with us, guiding and inspiring us on our journey of faith. May we live as living witnesses to God’s transformative power, spreading His grace and love in every aspect of our lives.
May the blessing of Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, descend upon us and accompany us in our pursuit of healing and transformation. Amen.
May you all have a blessed week, filled with the loving presence of God.
