# Helping Hands at the Pool of Bethesda
*2009-02-23*

> Bill reflects on John 5:7, the man at the pool who had no one to help him, and challenges listeners to offer simple assistance to those in need during this fourth week of Lent.

## The Scripture and Its Context

We read today from John 5:7: “The sick man answered him, ‘Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool.’” The story takes place at the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem. Tradition holds that an angel would stir the waters, and the first person to enter the pool after the stirring would be healed. The man had been ill for thirty‑eight years. When Jesus asked if he wanted to be healed, the man’s response revealed his desperate situation: he had no one to help him into the water.

## What the Man’s Cry Means for Us

He isn’t asking for a miracle; he is asking for a simple act of kindness—a hand to lower him into the pool. That request mirrors many modern situations: a stranger stranded on the highway with a flat tire, a parent juggling an infant and a toddler in a fast‑food restaurant, a coworker stuck at a copy machine, or an elderly parishioner who is homebound. Everywhere we look, we encounter people who have no one to help them with everyday tasks.

## A Practical Lenten Challenge

During this fourth week of Lent, I invite you to look for at least one person who needs a small, practical help. It need not be a grand gesture—just a moment to assist someone into their “pool,” whether that means holding a door, carrying groceries, or offering a listening ear. Let the act be simple, and then return to your daily responsibilities, knowing you have lived the Gospel in a concrete way.

## Prayer for the Day

Caring God, help me to be attentive to the needs around me. Give me the eyes to see those who are waiting for a helping hand and the courage to act quickly and lovingly.

*A single, small act of kindness can be the lifeline someone has been waiting for.*