Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent

Daily Readings for Lent
Today's readings: March 16, 2010
First Reading: Ez 47:1-9, 12;
Responsorial Psalm: 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9 ;
Gospel: Jn 5:1-16 ;

And here's an audio file and a video of a priest offering reflections.

 First Reading:  Ez 47:1-9, 12
The angel brought me, Ezekiel,
back to the entrance of the temple of the LORD,
and I saw water flowing out
from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east,
for the facade of the temple was toward the east;
the water flowed down from the right side of the temple,
south of the altar.
He led me outside by the north gate,
and around to the outer gate facing the east,
where I saw water trickling from the right side.
Then when he had walked off to the east
with a measuring cord in his hand,
he measured off a thousand cubits
and had me wade through the water,
which was ankle-deep.
He measured off another thousand
and once more had me wade through the water,
which was now knee-deep.
Again he measured off a thousand and had me wade;
the water was up to my waist.
Once more he measured off a thousand,
but there was now a river through which I could not wade;
for the water had risen so high it had become a river
that could not be crossed except by swimming.
He asked me, “Have you seen this, son of man?”
Then he brought me to the bank of the river, where he had me sit.
Along the bank of the river I saw very many trees on both sides.
He said to me,
“This water flows into the eastern district down upon the Arabah,
and empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh.
Wherever the river flows,
every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live,
and there shall be abundant fish,
for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh.
Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow;
their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail.
Every month they shall bear fresh fruit,
for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary.
Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine.”

Responsorial Psalm  46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9
R.        The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
God is our refuge and our strength,
an ever-present help in distress.
Therefore we fear not, though the earth be shaken
and mountains plunge into the depths of the sea.
R.       The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God,
the holy dwelling of the Most High.
God is in its midst; it shall not be disturbed;
God will help it at the break of dawn.
R.        The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
The LORD of hosts is with us;
our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Come! behold the deeds of the LORD,
the astounding things he has wrought on earth.
R.        The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob.

Gospel   Jn 5:1-16
There was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
Now there is in Jerusalem at the Sheep Gate
a pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, with five porticoes.
In these lay a large number of ill, blind, lame, and crippled.
One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years.
When Jesus saw him lying there
and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him,
“Do you want to be well?”
The sick man answered him,
“Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool
when the water is stirred up;
while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.”
Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your mat, and walk.”
Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked. Now that day was a sabbath.
So the Jews said to the man who was cured,
“It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to carry your mat.”
He answered them, “The man who made me well told me,
‘Take up your mat and walk.’“
They asked him,
“Who is the man who told you, ‘Take it up and walk’?”
The man who was healed did not know who it was,
for Jesus had slipped away, since there was a crowd there.
After this Jesus found him in the temple area and said to him,
“Look, you are well; do not sin any more,
so that nothing worse may happen to you.”
The man went and told the Jews
that Jesus was the one who had made him well.
Therefore, the Jews began to persecute Jesus
because he did this on a sabbath.

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Commentary: Today's Gospel continues on the theme of healing by God's divine love and by faith in Jesus. The crippled man by the pool does wish to healed, but every time he tries to go to the pool, someone takes the spot. So I ask myself - why was there no one to help this poor man? And then Jesus comes and merely asks him if he wishes to be healed, and the man replies yes. I wonder how joyous this man must have been - to have someone just talk to him and ask him if he needs help. He was invisible for all those years, to all the people around him. But because of Jesus' divine and healing love, he was healed.

Which brings us to the response of the people at the temple. Was there response, thank you God for healing this poor man, our brother? No - the response was to condemn Jesus for healing on the Sabbath.

Indeed, it is our job to follow Jesus, and be ready with a helping hand - especially during Lent. We all need each other, and the love we have in our hearts was meant to be shared. So many times, it is the little things that later on have a big impact.

Last evening, for 7th grade religious education - we talked about the Beatitudes. And we talked about how Jesus was bringing us a New Covenant, a new promise and a new law. One of the highlights of the lesson plan was about the intent of the heart  and how God knows the intent of the heart. In this world, you will often be misjudged and poorly treated by others, just as Jesus was - but God will know the intent of the heart.
While I try and do some preparation, it is not a personal strength. Yet I know God will help me, fill me with the Holy Spirit because I beg Him to help me to bring these kids closer to Him, and to His love, in hopes of assisting to make their joy complete. And each March,  I prepare by bringing in some small plants to remind the kids how God makes great things happen for those who put in some effort.

And I recalled a time years many ago, when I brought in some small plants to the kids, to help them understand such things, and how God helps these little plants grow and blossom, just like He does for them. Well, in a class many years ago - there was a little girl who was struggling with weight loss and self esteem issues. By the time confirmation had rolled around, she was about 70 pounds and not doing so well. That was the first year I started to give out plants. Nothing big, but as is often the case, it is just the small stuff that has the big rewards. And how deeply I love those kids.

About a year later, I received a card that was sent to the church. It was from the mother of that little girl. She wrote to say thank you, and tell me her daughter initially did not take good care of the plant, and was just letting it wither away. And then she decided to tend it, give it some water, and planted it outside so it could gather in the sunshine and the rain God poured down from heaven. The plant began to flourish, and so did the little girl - who saw how her little act of love had helped this plant. And she began eating better, and began to love herself more and more. And others too.The mother was profoundly thankful - for a little tomato seeding that bore great fruit.

When I read this - as you might imagine it made my heart burst with joy. I was so thankful to God, who had done all this and for his wonderful love. He has more than enough love for everyone. God is love. And I was so honored in his infinite generosity, to allow little me to participate in His plan. Do we not all have an amazing love inside of us? And do we not, by virtue of this love, have within us the capacity to do wonderful acts of healing, just by loving others. Especially people like the poor man at the edge of the pool in today's Gospel. Each year I learn how much power there is in loving, in a just a simple smile offered to someone who has not received a big smile for so long, long time. We are all equal in our capacity to love. When we reflect on the Gospel about the talents - what talent do we possess that is greater than our capacity to love? And how do we use this most precious gift? Lots of people are struggling, be generous with this gift.

Finally - another song for the day - this one is called Hobo Song. It is a real sad song about people down on their luck. And while the song's lyrics say it differently - just remember, it is never too late. Re-read the Gospel. Put your faith in God and in His beloved Son Jesus - nothing is impossible for God.

And let's not forget about the prize. Allowing God to make our joy complete.