Do you want to be made well?

Sixth Sunday of Easter: Psalm 67; Acts 16:9-15; Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5; John 5:1-9

The man had been ill for 38 years. That’s a LONG time. He had made it to the pool at Beth-zatha, but had never been able to actually reach its healing waters: he had no one to help him. The healing power of the pool was supposed to be when the waters were stirred up by the holy spirit. He would start making his way towards the water, but someone else would get there first. He stayed there, along with “many invalids”. Jesus asks him a simple question: “Do you want to be made well?” And then tells him to “Stand up, take your mat, and walk”. The man does so, and starts to walk. It is an act of love. Healing comes not from the pool, but from an act of love.

Reading this story, I keep thinking about the thirty-eight years the man has been ill. Even though he’d been by the healing pool, he had no one with him who would help him. So he was alone. No one stopped to help. Instead, those who could pushed in front of him to get into the pool.

No one stopped to help. How often have any of us not stopped for someone? We know we don’t have Jesus’ power to heal. We are in a rush, late for something, or just preoccupied. We fear we do not have what is needed. Sometimes we are just overwhelmed by the need. What does it take to help us stop? What does it take for us to do an act of love?

Today with the Bishop’s visit we are filling the yellow bags, so we will have something to give. It may not be what is needed, but it will be something. May we love one another, and not rush past people for thirty-eight years.