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"One man was there, who had been blind for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him: 'Do you want to be healed' "(John 5 : 1-9)
Jesus usually begins his healing work by asking us questions that are (apparently) unnecessary. "Do you want to be cured ?"
Modern medicine can give us an insight into stories like this. There is evidence to suggest that some chronically ill people are not sure whether they want to be cured or not.
Well, the crippled man here probably had a fixed spot. Pilgrims passing by would give him food or money. He had a fixed routine and a fixed income. Not an easy life by any means, but, he was able to get by somehow.
In fact he could well have imagined that being cured would create new problems for him.....find work, for a start....pay taxes,.....
This problem of whether we want to be healed or not occurs in many areas of our life. How many of us would prefer to die rather than give up smoking ? Even though smoking causes a lot of suffering in one way or another.
How many of us would prefer to die rather than be reconciled - really and truly - with somebody who has done us an injury ?
The list is endless. Living in the past is a major sickness !
Jesus' question invites us to take personal responsibility for the healing that we need. He wants us to take part in our own healing, so that our healing will lead to Faith in Himself.
Fr C. Murphy
The Messenger
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