Good Trouble

Psalm 121, 122, 123
Isa. 63:1-5; Rev. 2:18-29; John 5:1-15

In today’s gospel reading Jesus approaches a man on the Sabbath who has lain ill for 38 years, unable to reach the healing waters of Beth-zatha. Jesus tells the man to “Stand up, take up your mat and walk” and the man is healed. He takes up his mat and walks!

The Jews take issue with this, telling the man that it is unlawful for him to carry his mat on the Sabbath and they want to know who told him to do this. The man doesn’t know who told him to get up and carry his mat until Jesus meets him later in the temple.

When the Jews learn it was Jesus they seek to persecute him. Jesus tells them that his Father is always working, and so he, too, is also always working. Now they want all the more to kill Jesus for calling God his own father, making himself equal to God.

This gospel reading reminds me of what the late John Lewis said about the unlawful action Rosa Parks took on the bus that day. He said, “Rosa Parks inspired us to get in trouble. And I’ve been getting in trouble ever since,” said Lewis. “She inspired us to find a way, to get in the way, to get in what I call good trouble, necessary trouble.”

Jesus healed the man who had lain ill and encouraged him to make his way to the healing waters thereby getting himself into some “good trouble” with the Jews.

I am inspired by this reading and take hope in knowing that there are those among us who are moved by grace - moved out of the paralysis often brought on by the way of the world - to do the right thing by getting into some “good trouble” ourselves.

It is good to remember that the healing power of God’s love is always working in us so that we, too, may get up and carry on in love.

Written by Kathy McGregor

…who prays for a New Year of “good trouble” for the whole world.