HOPE40 - Day 24 - Do You Want to be Well?

Week 5: HOPE IN THE CROSS

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Hope in the Cross...What is your cross in this season? Is it something new, or something that has been plaguing you for a long time? The cross is different for each and every one of us: a health issue, financial hardship, a difficult relationship (marriage, parents, children, friends, neighbors, etc), a bad habit, a boss/coworker that is out to get you, and the list goes on. The cross is not appealing, whatever form it takes. It can wear you down, physically, mentally, spiritually...no matter how much you struggle, pray and hope against it.

This struggle is evident in today's reading where Jesus heals the man at the pool of Bethesda. This man had been sick for thirty-eight years, waiting by the waters, hoping for healing. The man’s suffering is not only physical; it is spiritual, emotional, and deeply personal. He has lived in disappointment and resignation for so long that hope seems impossible. And, he has all the excuses in the book as to why healing has not occured for him. But Jesus meets him in his suffering, in his waiting, and calls him to something greater: trust in Him. The miracle does not come as the man expected, it comes through an encounter with Christ. When Jesus approaches, He asks, “Do you want to be well?” ~John 5:6. Jesus responds not with water, but with His word: “Rise, take up your mat, and walk” ~John 5:8. Immediately, the man is healed.

In The Chosen, this scene is brought to life in a powerful way.

Like the man at Bethesda, we all have areas of life where we feel stuck, discouraged, or unable to move forward. We, too, might have waited for years, longing for healing, change, or resolution. The Cross reminds us that suffering is not the end of the story. Jesus does not ignore our wounds, He steps into them, inviting us to trust Him even when healing comes in unexpected ways. True hope is not found in circumstances changing, but in encountering Christ and allowing Him to transform us.

Some questions I am pondering today:

Where in my life do I feel like I have been waiting for healing or change?
Jesus inviting me to trust Him and take a step forward in faith...what is holding me back?
My cross feels so heavy and daunting. In what ways can I find hope in the Cross, knowing Jesus is with me in my suffering?

Let Us Pray

Lord Jesus, You see me in my struggles, my waiting, and my longing for healing. Just as You spoke life to the man at Bethesda, speak to my heart and strengthen my trust in You. Help me to embrace the Cross, not as a burden but as a sign of Your love and victory. May my hope rest not in my circumstances but in You alone.

Amen

HOPE For Your Health - Uniting Sacrifice with Christ

A little reminder about the things to avoid on days of fasting:

~NO white flour foods

~NO sugar

~NO alcohol

These "foods" can cause inflammation and we want to avoid that when this effort to fast has healing benefits. When you are feeling hunger, know that your body is taking it upon itself to restore and heal as God intended. So, turn that frown upside down and look forward to feeling active and cheerful.

We started the 16:8 intermittent fasting schedule (16 hours of fasting followed by an 8-hour window for nourishment) yesterday and will carry it through for the rest of Lent, except for Sundays. This practice aligns well with physical, mental and spiritual renewal. You are allowing your body time to rest, repair, and become more attuned to natural hunger cues, while also fostering discipline and detachment from excess.

Embrace this fasting window, uniting your small sacrifices with Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross. When hunger arises, turn your heart to prayer, remembering that true nourishment comes from God alone. Again, Jesus asks you, "Do you want to be well?" ~John 5:6

HOPE For Your Marriage: Perseverance in Trials

Instead of the man at the pool of Bethesda, imagine you and your spouse stuck there. Unable to communicate, discouraged, frustrated, resentful and struggling. You look around and see thriving, happy, fulfilling marriages all around you and desire that for your relationship, but don't know how to get there. It seems impossible and the "if only...."starts running through your mind. So you sit in your muck and shame and anger and stew about all the things that never go your way. This is no way to live. There is so much more for you, your spouse and your marriage, but you cannot do it on your own.

When Jesus asks, “Do you want to be well?” John 5:6, it is a moment of both challenge and invitation for your relationship. Rather than focusing on what your spouse lacks and how things never change, focus on Christ and what he wants you to consider for you, your spouse and your marriage. Jesus is calling you to trust Him, offering you healing in a way that you have never considered before. "Rise, take up you mat and walk." John 5:8

Jesus’ invitation to the man at Bethesda is the same invitation for you in marriage: Trust in Me. Take a step forward. Hope is not lost.

The Cross teaches that suffering, when united with Christ, is not meaningless. Trials in marriage, whether they are struggles with communication, outside stressors, or personal wounds, are not signs that you are failing. They are opportunities to turn to Christ together, to allow His grace to renew your love, and to persevere in faith. The man at Bethesda could have remained in his despair, but instead, he obeyed Jesus’ command to rise. Likewise, you are called to rise, to love even when it is hard, to communicate even when you feel misunderstood, and to trust that Christ is working in your marriage even when you don’t yet see the fruit.

Journal/Meditation Prompt

Are there areas in my marriage where I feel stuck or discouraged? How about for my spouse? Does your spouse even know how you are feeling? Invite the Holy Spirit in and talk about these areas and open yourself up to the healing that comes from communicating your struggles.

BRISKET TACOS

Another Tuesday means another taco! Today, I am making these super easy and amazingly delicious beef brisket tacos. They take about 5 minutes to get in the oven and another 5 minutes to get on your plate in front of you! Just a little reminder: the wine is for marinating, not for drinking! Click the picture to go to the original recipe on Food Network. My modified version is below ;)

INGREDIENTS

3-4 lb. beef brisket
4-6 cloves garlic
1/2 bottle red wine (or more as the meat cooks in the oven)
1 cup beef broth (or more...)
1 Tbsp sea salt
2 tsp. Emeril's Southwest Seasoning (or taco seasoning)
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 onions, sliced (I have used both red and yellow or a combo of the two)
For serving: tortillas, salsa, guacamole, cilantro...whatever you enjoy!

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F..
Make 4-6 narrow incisions in the brisket and insert garlic.
Lay the brisket, fat side up, in a large roasting pan. Make sure the pan is large enough to hold all of the liquid.
Pour the wine and broth into the pan over the brisket. Season with southwest seasoning, salt and pepper. Evenly distribute the onions over top.
Cover the pan with foil and put in oven for 4 1/2 - 5 hours. (1 1/2 hours per 1 pound).
Remove the pan from the oven and place the meat on a cutting board. Slice the brisket and serve in tortillas with your favorite toppings.

This is where the grace of God can work a kind of alchemy, changing the leaden burdens of daily life into the gold of sanctification. For rarely has anyone grown in holiness who wasn’t first brought low and humbled.

~Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC