Jesus Cares For Us

𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐇 𝟏𝟕, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔: 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐓𝐇 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐓

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝟏: 𝐄𝐳𝐞 𝟒𝟕:𝟏-𝟗, 𝟏𝟐

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐦: 𝐏𝐬𝐚 𝟒𝟔: 𝟐-𝟑, 𝟓-𝟔, 𝟖-𝟗 “𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐮𝐬; 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐛.”

𝐆𝐎𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐋: 𝐉𝐍 𝟓:𝟏-𝟏𝟔

𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞: “𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥?” (𝐯.𝟔) 

           If you ask 10 people today what their primary concern in life is, most if not all will most probably say job, livelihood and security. Half or a fraction of those in the group will say health. Why? Because every person wants to enjoy what life would bring especially if they can afford it or have the means to do so.

           Man is a social being. We were made to interact with other people and enjoy life as it is. A beautiful description of what man comes from Aristotle who said: “𝘔𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘭; 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯. 𝘚𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘶𝘢𝘭. 𝘈𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘦𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧-𝘴𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘺, 𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘨𝘰𝘥.”

         We don’t give our health and personal wellbeing much thought until such time that we become afflicted with something that requires regular trips to the hospital and or to our family physician. Perhaps this comes from a state of mind that we develop over the years from what we heard or somebody told us: “𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵. 𝘌𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘢𝘯.” 

         To some extent that is true, but what we forgot is that as we set out to pursue a good life, many of us have unnecessarily put ourselves in harm’s way. I was like that in my younger years. Like the rest of my friends, we tried almost everything that made us happy. But there is always an end to everything, and you begin to feel frustration when you’re no longer happy with happiness itself and that’s the start of your search for that which brings true joy.  

         Many of us look at God as the last resort. We think of God when we have lost all our options. But do you know that God loves us so much that he wants us to be well in body and soul. We see this in 𝟑 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝟏:𝟐 “𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝, 𝐈 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐠𝐨 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡, 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐠𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥.”

         And we hear Jesus saying in 𝐉𝐧 𝟏𝟎:𝟏𝟎 “𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥.”

        Today’s Gospel reading reveals in no uncertain terms the plan of God for each one of us beginning from the man who had been sick for 38 years to whom Jesus posed this question: “𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥?” (𝐯.𝟔)        

         In this very simple question, we find the totality of God’s plan for all whom he has created who is a notch below the angels in heaven. And that plan is for all of us to be well which simply means that God wants us all to be sound in body, mind and spirit.

        An abundant life that he cited as the reason for why he came (𝐉𝐧 𝟏𝟎:𝟏𝟎) is what God wants us to have. Again, an abundant life means we are at peace with everyone including ourselves and with everything that is around us.

         And who wouldn’t want to live in abundance? Anyone who has been sick for that long would jump to his feet if such an opportunity presents itself. I may not have experienced what this man underwent for 38 years, and I could only imagine the torment, the struggle, the humiliation and the self-pity at being immobile not to mention the feeling of unworthiness.

         His illness and pitiable state have become a way of life for this man. Notwithstanding the fact that there was no one to help him to bring him to the pool of Bethesda (some manuscripts say Bethsaida while some said Bethzatha), this man lay at the portico leading to the pool hoping against hope for a miracle.

         The Jews at that time believed that the pool was endowed with healing properties and this was the reason why the gate to the pool was crowded with sick people – blind, lame, or paralyzed (𝐯.𝟐) and it was this scene that Jesus saw upon his return to Jerusalem following his journey to Cana where he turned the water into wine, in Galilee where he healed the dying son of a government official.

         But historians claim that beneath the pool was a subterranean stream that releases bubbles that creates a stir at the water’s surface and the Jews in those days believed that this stirring of the pool was caused by an angel and the belief then was that the first person to get into the pool after the water had been stirred would be healed from any illness.

         And for 38 years this man waited for his chance to get near the pool but since there was no one to help him into the pool when the water is stirred, someone else manages to get before he could (𝐯.𝟕). Then and now, we see invalids who have not only lost hope of being cured but have even used their afflictions to an advantage.

         But this man was different and Jesus probably saw through his desire to get well if only there was someone who will help him get into the pool. His desire to get well was what moved Jesus to say: “𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐮𝐩! 𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐮𝐩 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤” (𝐯.𝟖).

         In effect, what this Gospel passage is showing is that like the man in this narrative we need to have the desire to be healed before we could be healed. What we can learn from this passage is that Jesus is compassionate to those who recognize their own helplessness and their dependency on God and miracles do happen when we are able to subordinate our human will to God’s Will and power.

         What this passage also shows is that regardless of the kind of afflictions that we are experiencing now or no matter how big our problems may be, God can meet our deepest needs for his Grace is more than sufficient for our needs.

         Let us not dwell anymore on the actuations of the religious leaders who accused Jesus of violating the law of the Sabbath but let us look closely and reflect on the last few verses towards the end of this Gospel passage.

         When Jesus met the man again at the Temple, he told the man: “𝐒𝐞𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧. 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮” (𝐯.𝟏𝟒). As we draw near towards the Holy Week, it is important that we are reminded of the connectedness between sin and sickness.

        As the Jews generally believed then that when a man suffers or becomes ill the assumption was that he has sinned and the Rabbis claim: “𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧.”        

        This Gospel passage also shows us the life-giving properties of water. In the First Reading we see water flowing out in trickles until it became a torrent and into a river where trees at its banks grew and bore much fruit. In the Gospel of John, we read of the water in the pool that anyone who dips in it when the water was stirred would be healed.

         Such is also the Grace of God that is given to all. It starts as a trickle until such time that we can comprehend the beauty and vastness of God’s Grace and it is by this Grace that we are able to love God more and our neighbor as well.

         In this Lenten Season, let us spend some time to look at how we have lived our lives and see the parts where we have become like the invalid man in this Gospel passage. It would probably be a good idea if we will score ourselves in relation to the following six situations in the next paragraph which puts in motion our calling as Christian disciples (𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭 𝟐𝟓:𝟑𝟓-𝟑𝟔).

         1) 𝘞𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘸 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵-𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘺? (2) 𝘋𝘪𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘺? (3) 𝘋𝘪𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘴? (4) 𝘋𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳, 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘪𝘧 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴? (5) 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘣𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘬? 𝘢𝘯𝘥, (6) 𝘞𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺?            

          You may not be aware of it but if you came up short in at least four of these six situations and if you scored anything below 4 you may be experiencing the symptoms of becoming an invalid. Being invalid does not necessarily mean a physical disability but also spiritual disability.

        This happens when we become oblivious to the situation around us and we tend to look at the poverty that pervades in our society as being part of the landscape. It is when we close our fists and withhold our help to those in need that we suffer from becoming an invalid spiritually.

        And we can be cured of this sickness by simply having the desire to seek the power of Christ to fill our lives for it is only through Jesus that we can emerge victorious in this life. (𝘌𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘺 - 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 17, 2026)