Ezekiel was a prophet of visions. In his last vision, he saw the new Temple and much living water come out from the south of the altar flowing to the east (Ezekiel 47:1). This living water goes down into the Arabah and when it enters into the stagnant waters of the sea, the water will become fresh (Ezekiel 47:8).
And wherever the river goes every living creature which swarms will live, and there will be very many fish; for this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes (Ezekiel 47:9). Jesus is our living water. Everything will live where Jesus goes.
In John 5, we read of the first healing miracle Jesus performed in Jerusalem.
Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Hebrew called Bethzatha, which has five porticoes (John 5:2).
A lot of sick people waited for the water to be stirred and the first one who entered the water at this moment would be healed. Jesus saw a man who had been ill for 38 years, lying there with nobody to help him. Jesus asked him if he wanted to be healed.
The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is troubled, and while I am going another steps down before me." (John 5:7)
Jesus told him to rise, take up his pallet and walk. The man was healed. However, it was Sabbath.
Some scholars draw our attention to the 38 years the man had been sick. They suggest that this man might symbolize the Israelites who wandered for 40 years before entering the Promised Land. For me, this link seems rather remote. I think I have to study more before I am able to discern the relationship. I leave my mind open.
So the Jews said to the man who was cured, "It is the sabbath, it is not lawful for you to carry your pallet." (John 5:10)
How stagnant the mind of these Jews was! Instead of celebrating the healing of this fellow man, these Jews accused him of breaking the Sabbath law. Their mind had become so rigid that they failed to share the joy of liberation of the others. They were restrictive in their mind and wanted to impose restrictions on the others as well. How unreasonable!
And this was why the Jews persecuted Jesus, because he did this on the sabbath (John 5:16).
Of course, the healing could not be undone. God's liberation cannot be confined. Neither time, nor space, nor human institutions and prejudice can stop it. It bursts forth like the river of living water, animating everything it touches. For a long time, men have been fettered by sins. Now that Jesus has come, he liberates whoever that wants freedom and life, like the man who had been sick for 38 years.
My colleague Edmund is now in a precarious situation. His probation period is not yet over. Previously, the boss harshly criticized him for not organizing enough religious activities in the Evangelization Week, amidst many curricular activities organized by other committees last week. So, Edmund drew up a series of activities about St. Paul, such as pilgrimage, poster design competition, Biblical calligraphy competition, bible reading, bible quiz on Paul etc. He consulted the other Catholic teachers, gained their support and put forth the proposal to the boss who banned it because it would clash with other activities on the proposed week in May!
What conclusion can I draw? The boss is not appreciative of the efforts we have put into our work.
Anyway, Edmund's major difficulty is his classroom management skill. Whatever he does, the boss will find fault with him. Today, the boss reprimanded him for not bringing the prayer book to the class during the Centralized Morning Prayer in the class-teacher period. He had set a bad example in front of the students. Poor Edmund! He got another entry in the boss' record book. In the end, the boss gave him a one-month deadline to improve his classroom management. Otherwise ...
I do not complain about the boss for her being harsh. Probably other people's feelings do not enter into the boss' equations. For example, in a debriefing of the "Parent Drama" during the morning assembly yesterday, the boss criticized the parent concerned as reckless in front of a thousand students and teachers. If you were the two children of this parent, what would you feel?
Well, the school is entering a harsh educational milieu in the years ahead because of the demographic changes in the region. Our life has been cosy for too long. Harsh criticism from the boss might probably be a good dose of stimulant. However, indiscriminate prescription of stimulants might cause substance abuse. I am afraid some of my colleagues, perhaps I as well, begin to show signs of withdrawal. It is pretty discouraging especially when it comes from a fellow Catholic in Christ.
My Jesus, surely you understand our situation because you yourself have met much hostility for doing good from your fellow countrymen. Cheer us up, Lord. Liberate us from depression, Lord. Through your wounds, we shall be healed. Amen.
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