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DAILY GOSPEL
Friday, 29th March 2024

John 5,1-16

Date posted: March 21, 2023

March 21, 2023 (Tuesday)
Let us all remember that we are in the Holy Presence of God.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

John 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 anymore, 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.

Reflection:
The cure at the pool of Bethesda took place on an unnamed feast day of the Jews (V 5:1) and that day happened to be a Sabbath, hence a double day of rest. While the friends of the paralytic, mentioned in the synoptic Gospels were ready to destroy the roof of the house (MK 2:4; & Mt 5; !8 -19), the paralytic had no one to help him, indicating the total neglect the man suffered from the society for thirty-eight long years. He was resigned to being invalid for many more years. He had nobody else, except Jesus who could cure him of his long and weary sufferings. No wonder he immediately obeyed the orders of Jesus when he was asked to rise up and walk. The paralytic was rewarded for his faith and obedience to Jesus. He walked away fully cured. When Jesus was identified as the healer on the Sabbath, the religious leaders shifted their attack from the paralytic to Jesus. But instead of apologizing for his actions, Jesus claimed Himself as God’s Son, giving another reason for his attackers to persecute Him more viciously. However, Jesus went on to ascertain that he needed to be working even on a Sabbath just as His Father continue to keep Himself busy on all days. Serving the needy irrespective of time and days, is a virtuous attitude and that is what Jesus did at the pool of Bethesda. The Christian spirituality is both vertical and horizontal. Our union with God through Jesus, our Brother must necessarily be lived by reaching out to all those who in need of service. Had somebody helped the paralytic earlier to the intervention of Jesus, he could have enjoyed few additional years of normal human life. Are we mentally and spiritually sensitive to the different forms of paralysis in and around us? “He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honour. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and on them he has set the world”. (1 Samuel 2:8).

Lasallian Guiding Principle:
LGP states that, “Lasallian institutions must strive to develop among its members greater recognition of the realities of human suffering and the stewardship role that each share in preserving the integrity of God’s creation and creating a humane and just society.” In our LGP, it is clearly defined as “an enthusiastic and total gift of self for the sake of the mission expressed in such qualities as gratuity and generosity.” This definition basically derived from the undeniable and passionate service exemplified by our founder himself. Therefore, as Lasallians, let us always live out the teaching of the Resurrected Christ and the example of our founder: to walk the extra mile, to plunge into the deep, to serve selflessly and to offer noble sacrifices for the salvation of all and to the glory of His name.

Prayer:
Synod on Synodality Prayer

We stand before You, Holy Spirit, as we gather together in Your name.
With You alone to guide us, Make Yourself at home in our hearts;
Teach us the way we must go and how we are to pursue it.
We are weak and sinful; do not let us promote disorder.
Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path nor partiality influence our actions.
Let us find in You our unity so that we may journey together to eternal life and not stray from the way of truth and what is right.
All this we ask of You, who are at work in every place and time, in the communion of the Father and the Son, forever and ever. Amen.

St. John Baptist de La Salle, pray for us.

St. Miguel Febres Cordero, pray for us.
Live Jesus in our hearts, forever!

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Sources:
C. (n.d.). Daily Gospel. Retrieved June 22, 2020, from https://dailygospel.org/M/AM/DLSU ITS, DLSU STRATCOM, DLSU IRPA. (n.d.). Guiding Principles of the Philippine Lasallian Family.
Retrieved June 22, 2020, from http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/inside/lasallian-guiding-principles/default.asp

Prepared by Pratik, Sati D., College of Humanities and Sciences- BS Biochemistry Student, through the DLSMHSI Lasallian Mission and Linkages and Advancement, Campus Ministry, and Chaplaincy

Our Daily Lasallian Gospel, Prayer and Reflection is a DLSMHSI gift to the Lasallian family for the 2019 Celebration of the Year of Vocation and the Tercentenary celebration of the death of our founder SJBDLS.
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https://www.dlshsi.edu.ph/daily-lasallian-reflection-prayer #300LaSalle