Jesus came to a gate at the Temple. The gate was called Sheep gate. At the gate was a pool called Bethesda, which means “house of kindness.” A lot of people were at the gate. The people were at the Sheep gate - like sheep without a shepherd.

Healing of the Lame Man

Jesus saw a lame man and spoke to him. The man and the others who were sick were waiting for an angel to stir the water. The first one to jump into the pool would be healed. People were focused on the water to stir, yet, the source of Living Water was in their midst and they did not recognize him.

How often have I looked at things to find Jesus? How often have things blinded me from seeing Jesus right in front of me?

Lord, let me see you when you are before me. Let me know and recognize you O Lord.

With the healing, Jesus showed he was the source of the Living Water who heals. There was no need to wait for an angel to stir the water because the Son of God, God himself, was here. Jesus also asked the man if he wanted to be healed. Jesus had to ask this question because there are some who prefer to live in their misery than to come to ask Jesus for healing.

Instead of answering Jesus, the man told Jesus about his condition and how he could not be healed. He spoke of the miraculous manner where healing would take place. The water had to move, it had to come to life, before healing can take place.

The man said, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool.” The man wondered how he could be healed when he needed someone to put him into the pool. But with Jesus, there was no need for any one's help. Jesus himself is our help. By his word, God created the universe. By a word, he can create a new person. With a word, Jesus healed the man.

The man did not have to wait for the water to come to life because he was before the source of the Living Water himself.

The healing brought controversy because it happened on a Sabbath. The man broke the Law. By carrying his mat, he worked on the Sabbath. The leaders saw the broken Law, but Jesus saw the broken man. For Jesus, the man was more important than the Law. The Sabbath was made for man.

The man did not know Jesus at that time. But Jesus revealed himself to the man who told the leaders. Jesus broke the Law because he healed on the Sabbath. Because of this, the leaders planned to kill him. The Law clearly stated that anyone who broke the Sabbath was to be stoned to death. Jesus broke the Law - so he had to die.

The Father and Jesus

When confronted by the leaders, Jesus had an interesting conversation with them. Jesus made himself equal to God. He called God his Father. Although Jesus and the Father are different persons, they are still one God with the Holy Spirit. This is a mystery that cannot be explained.

Jesus said, “My Father is still working, so I am working, too.” When Jesus said this, he was putting himself equal to God. To the leaders, Jesus was not only a breaker of the Sabbath, he was now also a blasphemer. Because of this, the leaders persecuted him.

The Father gave Jesus authority over all creation so Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath. The Father showed Jesus the things he did and Jesus followed the Father. The Father will show even greater things so people may marvel.

Lord Jesus, I want to see the great things the Father will do through you. Open my eyes O God so I may see the marvels you will do and are doing for me!

Jesus Gives Life

Life comes from the Father. He gives life. Since Jesus is God, he also gives life to whoever he wants. The purpose of this is for people to honor the Father. Jesus has authority over all things - including death. The dead will rise when they hear the voice of Jesus. This authority comes from the Father. The Father is honored when Jesus is honored. Jesus came to honor the Father.

When we hear the voice of Jesus and believe in the Father, we pass on to life. The dead will rise just by hearing the voice of Jesus. Jesus also spoke of his second coming when everyone in the tomb would hear his voice and would rise for judgment.

Whenever someone sins, that person breaks their relationship with God. In the case of mortal sins, they made a decision to separate themselves totally from God. Their soul dies due to the mortal sin.

With repentance as celebrated in the sacrament of confession, the repentant heart and the words of absolution from the priest restore the person back to life. The priest speaks the words of Jesus. By those words, the priest spiritually raises the dead from the tomb.

Lord, your sacrament is a wonderful gift. It brings me back to life. It restores to me the dignity you have planned for me even before the creation of the world. I thank you for giving me this sacrament. Through the words of the priest, I have new life. Thank you also for priests who minister to your people.

Believe in Jesus

Jesus then pointed to the testimony of John the Baptist. He also pointed to the testimony of the Father. What Jesus said is true. His works proved this. His Father proved this. John the Baptist proved this. All of them testified that Jesus came from the Father.

Scripture points to Jesus. To believe in scripture is to believe in Jesus. To believe this, one has to seek the glory that comes from the Father. If one seeks the glory from other people, one will not know Jesus. The key is to honor the Father.

To have the word of Jesus living in me, I must believe in him first. Only then can these words have meaning. No matter how much time I spend in searching scripture, if I do not believe in Jesus, I will not have eternal life.

The leaders searched scriptures thinking these bring eternal life. But here, Life himself was before them. Scriptures pointed to Jesus, yet they did not want to believe.

Jesus gave the reason why they did not want to believe in him - they were more concerned with the praise from men.

Lord, I want to believe you. May I seek your praise rather than men's. May I believe you through the testimony of the Father and through Scripture. Open my eyes so I may believe. Give me courage so I may seek only to please you.