Last night I read again the story of the lame man who lay at the pool near the gates of Jerusalem. He had been ill for many years and like others believed if he could only get into the pool he would be cured. Jesus however came across him and healed him ,asking him to pick up his mat and walk.

 

I was trying to imagine the feelings of those watching, dismay, amazement perhaps some fear, but what made me really stop was the reaction of the Jewish authorities, who told the man it was against the law for him to carry his mat on the Sabbath. It is almost funny , a miracle has happened, the man is rejoicing over walking for the first time in 38 years, and the authorities forbid him to carry his mat, as if that mattered. Their reaction of course is to focus on the  legalities given their much deeper fear of the threat Jesus brings.

 

Can we not be a bit like that sometimes ourselves, whenever someone does something we don't like or if we feel slightly threatened we pick on the small issues to bring them down. It is something to be wary of in ourselves ,for it simply leaves us out there while change happens anyway.