“Look, you are well; do not sin anymore so that nothing worse may happen to you.”
The man had paralysis for thirty-eight years! He has no one to help him put him into the pool for the healing he longs for. What worse could happen to him?
In the Old Testament, Israelites wandered in the wilderness for thirty-eight years before entering the promised land. This period of wandering was seen as a form of punishment for their lack of faith and disobedience towards God. The number thirty-eight signifies a long period of suffering or waiting. Is John telling us that this man’s illness was caused by his sins?
Sin is like cancer disease. If not diagnosed in its early stage, it might be too late. Sin is also deceiving because it hides in our sense of pride, pleasure, or self-righteousness. It can also hide in self-pity, self-degradation, or false humility. What’s the worst thing that sin can do to us?
In the Personal Notes of Saint Peter Julian Eymard, he says, “ sin strips us of our title (as children of God), rob us of all our merits, chaining us as captives, tormenting us with remorse and fear of an angry God, thus poisoning all our joys.” And “whoever sins is a slave of sin.” (NP 37, 20).
Suppose we will put into context John 5:5 the chronic nature of the man’s condition and the miraculousness of his healing in the perspective of us being sinners. In that case, the passage reveals Jesus’ compassion and power to heal us.
Today, we still experience this power and compassion of God through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the action of God himself, who uses the sacrament to reconcile us to himself and restore the sanctifying grace of God in our souls.
Prayer:
Lord, we pray for the healing touch of your hands in our lives. We know nothing is impossible for you, whether physical, emotional or spiritual healing. Give us the strength to rise above our circumstances no matter how challenging they might be and testify to your goodness and mercy. Amen.