The Chosen, Ep 4 marks the emotional & spiritual turning point of Season 2
The healing of the paralytic marks the third of seven “signs” or works that Christ performed in public to evoke faith–bring others to believe in Him.
Jesus sees a man who had been ill for 38 years and knew he had been at the pool at Bethesda for a long time. Standard translation the man was helpless, lying there.
Research: Dr. Scott Hahn – my old Theology profession – said that man in the Bible represents our SPIRITUAL PARALYSIS
(38 years same # of years of Israelites in the desert until they left for the promised land).
“Do you want to be healed?” Jesus asks the man (v 6).
What a question. Of course he wants to be well! But it’s been a long time
Can come to believe things things that aren’t from God
Maybe this is my lot in life
God heals others, but that’s not for me–unworthy
Or become stagnant, fearful, resigned
Paralytic’s reply is beyond frustrated by a dejection that is justifiable (v. 7)
Christ revealed to me: “The thoughts you keep, keep you.”
Can’t we relate? Women struggle with comparison. Patience exhausted over time plants resentment that sprouts into the envy of others receiving what we desire
But how are we going to participate in being well?
Has our identity become tied to our unwellness (I’m a mess, I’m anxious, I’m depressed vs. I have depression). We can view ourselves through the lens of our “unwellness” vs. the truth that we are beloved
Maybe we limit ourselves or God, what He’s capable of
“Rise,” Jesus commands, healing him “at once” (v. 9).
No water needed, no dialogue—just take your pallet and walk—while the man doesn’t even know Jesus’ name!
The Jews persecute Jesus for healing on the Sabbath
Christ responds, “My Father is working still, and I am working” (v. 17).
The work God is doing now is “making all things new.”
He takes the paralytic (represents us) and restores his mobility to show “that this healing is going to have to take place in stages.”
Jesus cautions him, “Sin no more, that nothing worse befall you” (v. 14). The physical healing occurred, but his restoration is not complete—the man’s heart still needs to become free from sin.
I’m going to share more at the end about how restoration is not a linear process.
For this journey, we will need the fruit of the Spirit, patience. 3 grades of patience according to Fr. John Hardon:
1) To bear difficulties without interior complaint,
2) To use hardships to make progress in virtue, and
3) Even to desire the cross and afflictions out of love for God and accept them with spiritual joy.”
And we’ll need the virtue of longanimity (commonly long-suffering). While Patience focuses on the difficulties in our way; while the “strong and steady effort” of the virtue longanimity focuses on the good in store—bearing us up amidst weariness and sorrow to wait in hope. “By longanimity a man has a mind to tend to something a long way off,” St. Thomas Aquinas explained.
Creative, Entrepreneur & Silly-Heart. Christ has called her to bring the broken to His Sacred Heart. Calls Austin home with her mountain-man husband, Mike, who she loves to travel through life with as well as around the world.
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