In the Gospel, we see those who need healing in their lives recognize the healing authority that Jesus possesses, and thus they beg Jesus for that gift. Often, in response, that person is filled with thanksgiving and gratitude. That does not seem to be the case with the lame man who encounters Jesus at the pool at Bethesda in today’s Gospel.
Yet, in our journey of faith, we are called to go to Jesus with all that is holding us back and bringing us down. We are called to reach out to Jesus in the midst of our reality. With the gifts and blessings we receive on our journey of faith, we are called to give thanks. One of the gratitude quotes that I have for this week is from an anonymous source that states: “Carry a thankful heart wherever you go.” We should always carry gratitude in our hearts and always approach in that way.
One of the saints on the liturgical calendar today is Blessed Angela Salawa. She was born in 1881 into a poor family in Krakow, Poland. She worked as a maid as a youth and young adult and lived a very worldly life. However, while she was at a wedding reception, she felt the presence of Christ there reaching out to her; that was a turning point in her life. Rather than become a nun, she turned to a life of prayer and service, joining the Third Order Franciscans. During WWI, instead of leaving Krakow with the rest of the popular when that city was evacuated, she remained to take care of injured soldiers and prisoners of war. Her life was never easy. She died on March 12, 1922 at the age of 40. John Paul II, a fellow native of Poland, knew of her reputation of holiness, and beatified her in 1991. Her life is a testament to the gratitude and service that should be in all of our hearts as disciples of Christ.
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