Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent
THE WATERS OF PARADISE
“Water flows from the Temple and turns the land into a fertile paradise, bringing health and life,” says Ezekiel. “But this living Temple is Christ,” says John. Encountering him means forgiveness, health, and life. These readings on the symbolism of life-giving water and on Christ have been chosen in view of baptism, the Lenten-Easter sacrament: in its waters, we encounter Christ.
Reading 1: Ezekiel 47:1-10
He walked to the east with a measuring tape and measured off fifteen hundred feet, leading me through water that was ankle-deep. He measured off another fifteen hundred feet, leading me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another fifteen hundred feet, leading me through water waist-deep. He measured off another fifteen hundred feet. By now it was a river over my head, water to swim in, water no one could possibly walk through.
He said, “Son of man, have you had a good look?”
Then he took me back to the riverbank. While sitting on the bank, I noticed a lot of trees on both sides of the river.
He told me, “This water flows east, descends to the Arabah and then into the sea, the sea of stagnant waters. When it empties into those waters, the sea will become fresh. Wherever the river flows, life will flourish—great schools of fish—because the river is turning the salt sea into fresh water. Where the river flows, life abounds. Fishermen will stand shoulder to shoulder along the shore from En Gedi all the way north to En-eglaim, casting their nets. The sea will teem with fish of all kinds, like the fish of the Great Mediterranean.
“But the river itself, on both banks, will grow fruit trees of all kinds. Their leaves won’t wither, the fruit won’t fail. Every month they’ll bear fresh fruit because the river from the Sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.”
Gospel: John 5:1-16
Prayer
Lord, our God,
you have quenched our thirst for life
with the water of baptism.
Keep turning the desert of our arid lives
into a paradise of joy and peace,
that we may bear fruits
of holiness, justice and love.
Lord, hear our prayer
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Reflection:
21 March 2023
John 5:1-3,5-16
I want to be healed, but…
The Gospel today speaks about the miracle of Jesus at the pool of Bethzatha on a Sabbath Day. Some Bible scholars think this passage is an allegory. Today’s liturgy makes us reflect on water as a sign of salvation.
The sick man stands for the people of Israel. The five porches represent the five books of the law. In those porches, the people lay ill. The law could show the people their sins but could never redeem them, it could uncover people’s weaknesses but never cure them. The law, like the porches, sheltered the sick souls but could never bring healing. The 38 years could be explained as the 38 centuries of people waiting for the Messiah. The stirring of the waters stands for baptism. In early Christian art, baptism was presented with a man depicted as rising from the baptismal waters, carrying a bed upon his back.
The initiative for healing in today’s Gospel comes from Jesus, and he asks: “Do you want to be healed?” And the answer is interesting: he doesn’t say yes, but he complains about having no one to help him! “I don’t have anyone to put me into the pool when the water is disturbed. While I’m about to go there – I’m about to decide – another gets there before me.” He was asked if he wanted to be healed. The answer should have been, “Yes, I want to be healed!” But his response to Jesus’ offer to heal is a complaint against others. And so, 38 years complaining about others and doing nothing to get better.
Jesus healed him, although he did not really ask for it. But his indecisiveness would continue. The author of the Gospel does not say whether he was happy or sad about his healing. Unlike other healing stories, he does not show any signs of happiness here. Instead, he continues to complain. “The one who healed me said to me. Take up your mat and walk.” And later, he would go and tell the Jews that it was Jesus who healed him.
This happens in our lives too. People perceive only what they want to perceive. We are sometimes too preoccupied with our prejudices and convictions and refuse to appreciate the goodness and beauty in the people around us. Are we too critical of those who are more popular and successful than us and find faults with the situations and circumstances around us? It is time for us to appreciate a colleague for a good job done, instead of criticising them for being late in completing the assignment.
I want to be healed, but… – Youtube