Weekly Newsletter

Christ is Risen!

In today’s Gospel (John 5:1–15), we meet the man who had been ill for thirty‑eight years, lying near the pool of Bethesda. When Jesus sees him, He asks a piercing question: “Do you want to be made well?” (John 5:6). The man explains his helplessness: “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool…” (John 5:7).

Christ does not wait for perfect conditions, nor does He require the man to reach the water. Instead, He speaks a life‑changing command: “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” (John 5:8). At once, the man is healed. Later, Jesus finds him again and says, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning, or something worse may happen to you.” (John 5:14).

For Byzantine Catholics, this Sunday reminds us that Christ gives us new and eternal life in the waters of baptism and that He is the true physician of our souls and bodies. He comes to us not only in moments of strength, but precisely in our paralysis—our fears, our habits, our discouragement. His healing word restores us, but it also calls us to rise, to walk, and to live differently.

1. Rise from one “paralysis” this week.  Choose one area where you feel stuck—prayer, forgiveness, routine—and take a small, concrete step forward.
2. Help someone who feels alone.  The paralytic had “no one” to help him. Offer encouragement, a visit, or practical support to someone who may feel forgotten.
3. Carry your mat with purpose.  The healed man carried the very thing that once held him down. Reflect on how God has healed you in the past, and let that memory strengthen your faith today.