In today's gospel Jesus asks the critical question of the man sitting by the pool, "Do you want to be well?" Even more interesting is the fact that the man never answers the question. It's a simple yes or no question. Jesus ends up having to simply command him to get up take his mat and go home.
Do we really want to be well? If we were truly well, embracing the gospel fully, each day living as Christians, imagine how it would change our life.
What truly sinful pleasures would you have to give up? What would you have to give up for the poor? What sacrifices would be required?
The sad truth is that many of us really want to be just good enough. We want comfortable Christianity. We tell ourselves that sin is inevitable, forgetting that we have been set free. We tell ourselves that our sins are really mortal sins. That's old-fashioned. We think all be forgiven, simply because god loves is. We forget that the God of love is the one who taught us that from the one to whom much is given much will be expected.
We need to believe the paradox of the gospel, and trust the good news enough to embrace the gospel fully.
Do you really want to be well?
