Today's Gospel March 24 2020 with comment

From the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to John 5,1: 16-XNUMX.
It was a day of celebration for the Jews and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
There is in Jerusalem, near the gate of the Sheep, a swimming pool, called in Hebrew Betzaetà, with five arcades,
under which lay a large number of the sick, blind, lame and paralyzed.
In fact an angel at certain times descended into the pool and waved the water; the first to enter it after the agitation of the water healed from any disease it was affected.
There was a man who had been ill for thirty eight years.
Seeing him lying down and knowing that he had been like this for a long time, he said to him: "Do you want to get well?"
The sick man replied: "Sir, I have no one to immerse me in the swimming pool when the water stirs. While in fact I am about to go there, some others come down before me ».
Jesus said to him, "Get up, take your bed and walk."
And instantly the man recovered and, taking his bed, began to walk. But that day was a Saturday.
So the Jews said to the healed man: "It is Saturday and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed."
But he said to them, "He who healed me said to me: Take your bed and walk."
Then they asked him, "Who was it who said to you: Take your bed and walk?"
But he who had been healed did not know who he was; In fact, Jesus had gone away, there being a crowd in that place.
Shortly afterwards Jesus found him in the temple and said to him: «Here you are healed; do not sin anymore, because something worse doesn't happen to you ».
That man went away and told the Jews that Jesus had healed him.
This is why the Jews began to persecute Jesus, because he did such things on the Sabbath.

Sant'Efrem Siro (ca 306-373)
deacon in Syria, doctor of the Church

Hymn 5 for Epiphany
The baptism pool gives us healing
Brothers, go down into the waters of baptism and put on the Holy Spirit; join the spiritual beings who serve our God.

Blessed is he who instituted baptism for the forgiveness of the children of Adam!

This water is the secret fire that marks its flock with a seal,
with the three spiritual names that frighten the Evil One (cf. Rev 3,12:XNUMX) ...

John testifies about our Savior: "He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire" (Mt 3,11:XNUMX).
Here this fire is the Spirit, brothers, in true baptism.

In fact, baptism is more powerful than the Jordan, that small stream;
it washes in its waves of water and oil the sins of all men.

Elisha, starting over seven times, had purified Naaman from leprosy (2 R 5,10);
from sins hidden in the soul, baptism purifies us.

Moses had baptized the people into the sea (1 Cor 10,2)
without being able to wash the inside of his heart,
stained by sin.

Now, here is a priest, similar to Moses, who washes the soul of its stains,
and with oil, seal the new lambs for the Kingdom ...

With the water that flowed from the rock, the people's thirst was quenched (Ex 17,1);
behold, with Christ and his source, the thirst of the nations is quenched. (...)

Behold, from the side of Christ flows a spring which gives life (Jn 19,34:XNUMX);
thirsty peoples drank you and forgot their pain.

Pour your dew on my weakness, Lord;
with your blood, forgive my sins.
May I be added to the ranks of your saints, on your right.