Rise and Walk

Rise and Walk 

March 12, 2013

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent

By Beth DeCristofaro

(He said) Wherever the river flows, every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live, and there shall be abundant fish, for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh.  Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow; their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail.  (Ezekiel 47:9)

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.  (John 5:6-9)

Piety

Lord, take me from myself and give me to yourself.

(St Catherine of Siena)

Study

Not long ago I attended the ordination of a friend.  She and I had volunteered together long ago at a hospital, visiting  people broken, afraid, ill.  Retired from her career as a manger, she and I had some schooling and thought that this was a wonderful way to share our gifts.  At the time I was already musing about going back for more training in my vocation as chaplain after years of ignoring the call to a lay vocation.  My friend had no such goals.

She was active in her Protestant church, raising money for the stewardship committee but her special love was the choir – she played drums!  Then prayerful people began to give her feedback that she should consider the ordained ministry.  Her response was at first “No way.”  And then “You gotta be kidding!”

God’s flowing grace is pretty fruitful and productive, however.  Today she is an interim pastor for a little church in the South.  I am a certified chaplain still serving the ill and their families.  My friend was joy-filled at her ordination and she feels at home in her small congregation.  Those flowing waters brought us both to a blossoming neither of us anticipated.

Action

The paralyzed man in today’s Gospel couldn’t get to the water.  Sometimes is it seems impossible, stupid or unsafe to move.  However, with grace and trust, we know that Jesus accompanies us to the life-giving water in good times and bad, in times of paralysis, doubt, complacency, tragedy and in moments of trusting growth.  Where do I need to shift in my life in order to move closer to Jesus?