Easter 6C’25
25 May 2025
Ps.67; John 5.1-9
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
North Little Rock, Arkansas
The Rev. Carey Stone <+>
O God our healer, stir within us a desire for our own healing of body, mind, and spirit and for the healing of others; be merciful to us and bless us, and let your ways be known upon earth, your saving health among all nations. Amen.
It goes without saying that the health care system of the 1800s weren’t what they have become today. There were so many more ailments and diseases where no cure had been found. Naturally, in those days folks were always on the lookout for anything that might improve their health. If their conditions were severe enough where they couldn’t work, they were slapped with the unwelcome label of “Invalid.” It is not coincidental that the word “in – vuh – lid” is spelled the same as “In-vaaah – lid.”
One of the remedies that became popular back then was called “taking of the waters.” Hot Springs, Arkansas became a destination where those who were suffering from cancer to rheumatism and all maladies in between, came from all over the world to bathe and to drink in the hot mineral rich waters.
This taking of the waters wasn’t a new idea. In today’s gospel we hear a very powerful story of healing; the setting for it was Hot Springs, well, they didn’t call it that, it was actually called the “Pool of Bethesda.” Bethesda in Hebrew means, “House of Mercy.” Hundreds of people came each day to try and bathe in the waters there. Periodically the ‘hot springs’ would bubble up in the pool and that’s when folks believed that an “angel had stirred the waters.” They saw this as the prime time to get in the pool and be healed of what ailed them.
One such person who was unable to walk was labelled an invuhlid and was therefore seen by society to be “in-vaaah- lid” as a person, worthless to society. He had been lying on a mat beside the pool for 38 years, living off of whatever he could get from begging.
Into this scene of suffering at Bethesda’s pool “the House of Mercy” comes the very author of mercy, Jesus the Son of God. He showed mercy by paying attention to the man who no doubt had become invisible to those around him. Jesus asks what appears to be a most unusual question: “Do you want to be made well?” What kind of question is that? The man had been lying there unhealed for 38 years wouldn’t it be a fair assumption that he wanted to be healed? But he answers Jesus with an excuse, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am making my way someone else steps down ahead of me.”
In 38 years surely, he could have made a deal with someone to help put him into the water, or better yet, why not just roll off the side of the pool into the water? In Jesus’ wise question and the man’s lame excuse we see the phenomenon of how someone can be resistant to God’s healing.
In my previous work as a counselor with addicts and alcoholics this was a common occurrence someone would be in a facility for treatment with a life-threatening addiction but were resistant. They would regain their sobriety while in the treatment facility but were not interested in giving up what was destructive. The life they knew may have been fairly miserable but at least it was predictable, and folks didn’t require much from them, and not long after leaving they
This resistance is addressed in Step 6 of the 12 Steps of Recovery and says: “Were entirely ready for God to remove all of our(these) defects of character…” Were entirely ready, in the recovery community there is a phrase that is spoken often “it takes what it takes.” For this man it took him 38 years to be entirely ready for God to bring healing into his life. He finally ‘got sick and tired of being sick and tired” Jesus has mercy upon him and extends healing words in the form of a direction: “Stand up, take your mat and walk.” At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk.
Thanks to modern medicine there are many diseases that are now curable and many at least are treatable. We also understand so much more about substance addiction and behavioral addiction. Christ’s healing mission continues through hospitals and medical clinics founded by various denominations of the Christian faith and have provided health care to millions and millions, a lot of it for free in impoverished countries.
There are treatments available for all of the many diseases of the soul. In our church we have a noon service each week where the laying on of hands and healing prayer is offered. St. Luke’s provides space each week for several 12 Step groups where folks find freedom and healing from various addictions. Like the man at Bethesda, we believe in healing but also like him, we can also be resistant. Jesus still asks all of us the same question he asked in Jerusalem two centuries ago: “Do you want to be well?”
There’s an African American song written about the same time Hot Springs National Park was founded and reminds us of the healing that is still available to us in Jesus:
There is a balm in Gilead
To make the wounded whole;
There is a balm in Gilead
To heal the sin-sick soul.
Amen.