Fourth Sunday of Pascha: Sunday of the Paralytic; The Holy Cyril and Methodius, Teachers of the Slavs; The Holy Hieromartyr Mocius.
Polyeleos Feast.
Acts 9:32-42; Hebrews 7:26-8:2; John 5:1-15; John 10:9-16.
Read John 5:1-15
“With friends like that, who needs enemies?” In the internet age, that old expression has given way to a new term: “frenemy” – a friend who also opposes or undermines. The Paralytic had to know what he was doing when he returned to his interrogators to identify Jesus. Today’s gospel goes on to say, “this was why the (Pharisees) persecuted Jesus.”
Before communion we pray, “I will not give you a kiss as did Judas.” Yet, we also pray, “I have sinned without number, forgive me, O Lord.” We admit that, though we resolve never to betray our Lord to his enemies, in ways requiring confession we do betray our relationship with him by sinning. How are we to become more aware of our blind spots?
Notice how specific the detail is regarding Jesus’ attention to the Paralytic. Among a “multitude of invalids”, Jesus focuses on “one man…who had been ill for thirty-eight years”. Jesus asks him, “Do you want to be healed?” We learn that the man has no one to help him. Afterward, Jesus seeks him out to direct him spiritually in a way that he could not while avoiding being identified when healing him physically.
Notice how completely non-personal is the Pharisees regard for the Paralytic – no inquiry into who he is or why he is doing what he is doing, only a reprimand reminding him that it is the sabbath and that what he is doing is unlawful. When they asked a question, it wasn’t about who healed him but about who told him to carry away his invalid pallet.
This is more than a reminder to look, listen, and learn instead of jumping to conclusions and condemning; it is a call to a predisposition toward others through Christ that would lead us to do so.