Stirring Up the Water

After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. In these lay many invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, ‘Do you want to be made well?’ The sick man answered him, ‘Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Stand up, take your mat and walk.’ At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk. Now that day was a sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who had been cured, ‘It is the sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your mat.’ But he answered them, ‘The man who made me well said to me, “Take up your mat and walk.” ’ They asked him, ‘Who is the man who said to you, “Take it up and walk”?’ Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had disappeared in the crowd that was there. Later Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, ‘See, you have been made well! Do not sin any more, so that nothing worse happens to you.’ The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. Therefore the Jews started persecuting Jesus, because he was doing such things on the sabbath. But Jesus answered them, ‘My Father is still working, and I also am working.’ For this reason the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because he was not only breaking the sabbath, but was also calling God his own Father, thereby making himself equal to God. John 5:1-18

Water is essential for all of life. From the beginning, Indigenous people have believe in the centrality, importance and healing power of water. These days, we have taken the role of water protectors as well in many communities. Too many of our waters are under threat from pollution and gross mismanagement by corporations and governments. Jesus is often found by the water, whether calling disciples, feeding thousands, preaching from boats, or by a city healing pool. He lived to bring people healing, to bring them to the love of their Creator. Many were working to undermine his ministry, yet he healed, fed, and called folks all the same. He stirred up the love of God wherever he went.

Living Creator, source of all living rivers

your love flows across our vast planet

to all people of every nation and tongue

yet some would restrict and dam that flow.

We live in a world where your gifts are sold

as property to be developed rather than

wonders to behold and to be grateful for

your love overflowing in all of your sacred creation.

Help us to see your beauty and love here

give us the strength to renew and protect

all of the people and all of the living waters

so love might flow again around our globe. Amen.