Breaking the Word

GOSPEL READING: JOHN 5:1-16

It was the festival time. There were crowds of people around. Jesus eyes went straight to the person who was in need. He picked up a conversation with him. Jesus went to him with a mission. He went to help him and not just for a conversation. Jesus chose the needy person.

That individual was in dire need for sure. He had been there for thirty eight years. He might have been sick more than these number of years (probably from birth). No one was there around to help him. Not a single relative of his was around and he had no friend even to stand by him. He was all alone all these years. Jesus went to help him.

திருவிழாக் காலத்தில் எருசலேமில் பெரும் கூட்டமிருக்கும். ஆனால் இயேசுவின் கண்களில் பட்டவர் அந்த முப்பத்தெட்டு ஆண்டுகளாய் உடல்நலமற்றிருந்த ஒருவர்தான். அவனுக்கு உறவினர் கிடையாது> நண்பர் கிடையாது> துணை கிடையாது. இயேசுவின் கவனம் எல்லாம் அவன் மேல்தான்.

GOSPEL READING: JOHN 4: 43-54

Here the miracle takes place from a distance. Usually Jesus touches the sick or the dying person, or at least the sick person would be at close vicinity. The healed person would see Jesus or hear him or touch him etc. Here the sick person is far away (it seems to be a day’s journey).

Jesus is addressing a crowd which did not believe in him (that a prophet has no honor in his native place). The royal official also did not express his faith in him. Only when the miracle took place (it was recognized after a day) the whole household believed in him. Here in this story even faith is not required to do the miracle. Only God does so (as he created things out of nothing and when there was no one even to believe in him he created the world). God’s work precedes even faith.

இயேசுவின் புதுமைகள் கடவுளின் படைப்பைப் போன்றது. நம்பிக்கை கொள்ளும் மனிதனைப் படைக்கும் முன்னரே இறைவன் மற்றவற்றை படைக்கிறார். மனிதனின் நம்பிக்கை கூட தேவையில்லை இறைவனின் செயல்களுக்கு. இறைவனின் செயல் எவ்வொன்றும் புதுமையே. இறைவனின் செயல் காலம்> இடம்> பொருள் இவற்றிற்கெல்லாம் அப்பாற்பட்டது.