The pool at Bethesda is located just outside the city walls of Jerusalem. The pool was originally built to supply water for the Temple, but by Jesus' time this function was superseded by other water sources. Gradually, this pool acquired a reputation for healing qualities. Jesus singles one man out from the many who are gathered there at the pool to be healed. This man acknowledges that he has no one to put him in the pool, an admission that there are no family or friends to help him. It's difficult for us to imagine how he would survive there very long by himself without anyone to help him. This man did not know that it was Jesus talking to him, so he obviously did not anticipate being healed by Jesus. Although the man expects to be cured by the waters of the pool, Jesus bypasses the pool altogether and cures him directly. It is interesting that, unlike some other cures, Jesus doesn’t link the cured person with his faith; Jesus just cures him because he needs healing. The cure that happens in this Gospel has a very reassuring and positive message to all of us as we continue our Lenten journey – the man is cured, he is saved, because he merely wanted to be well.
The season of Lent is an opportunity for all of us to grow closer to God and to contemplate the great love God shows us through his son. Today, in our modern world, we still reach out to Jesus for healing. A lot of people look forward to the healing mass we have each month to offer the sacrament of the anointing of the sick to those who desire it. This weekend, we will offer this sacrament of healing at all of our masses. May we reach to Jesus to bring us healing into our daily lives.
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