Tuesday of the Fourth Week
Ezekiel, the Prophet of the Babylonian exile, speaks to the Israelites longing for their return to Jerusalem. The vision of water flowing from the Temple to the sea portrays a life-giving river that makes the Great Salt Sea fresh. Ezekiel urges the Israelites to seek God’s forgiveness and deepen their faith and understanding of God’s loving presence while dreaming of a return to their homeland.
In John’s Gospel, Jesus, embodying the life-giving waters of Ezekiel’s vision, heals the cripple who sits at the pool of Bethesda. Through a simple command, Jesus cures the cripple who then proceeds to announce his ‘good news’ throughout the city. Both of these readings invite us to imagine the flow of water as a channel that flows in us as our faith deepens and our dreams are realized.
Today we celebrate the feast of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. At the age of 16, Patrick was kidnapped from Britain by Irish pirates, brought to Ireland, sold into slavery, and remained there for six years before escaping and returning to his family. Though not an active Christian, Patrick had a dream about the people of Ireland pleading with him to bring Christianity to them. After studies and ordination as a priest and then bishop, he set sail to Christianize the Emerald Isle. As in Ezekiel and John, water can also be identified as a metaphor for Patrick’s life-long spiritual growth in faith. May we contemplate these readings as we allow the Water of Life to grow in us each day.
Prayer
Loving God, I pray that this Lent may be a time for me to travel each day with an awareness of your presence in all that I experience as I seek to deep-en my own faith in you.
Liz Mahoney, ’97, M’01, P’92
Psalm 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9
Gospel: John 5:1-16
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