Jesus is the ultimate Life Coach.  

His query to the paralyzed man brought him healing. I, too, had a coaching experience with the Lord. During one quiet time in prayer, my Life Coach “care-fronted” me with these pivotal questions: 

1) What is the best thing to do? 

2) How do you glorify the Father?

3) What is fruitfulness? 

4) What’s the best way to become?

I was reading John 5:8 and it addressed all four questions.

The best thing to do is to glorify the Father.

To glorify the Father is to be spiritually fruitful.

Fruitfulness is to become disciples—followers of Jesus.

The best way to become is to keep growing as Jesus’ disciples or, better yet, a disciple-making disciple. In just one verse, I know what kind of life I must live through all my life roles—as disciple, family man, builder, professional, and entrepreneur.

Each day, I should glorify the Father. I am to live out spiritual fruitfulness in character (cf. Galatians 5:22-23). I should grow in discipleship and make disciple-making disciples. 

Obet Cabrillas (obetcab17@gmail.com)

reflect

Let your Life Coach lead you to become the best you!

Lord, bless me so I can do what You want me to do, go where You want me to go, and give what You want me to give, so that I can be what You want me to be.

Saint Patrick, bishop of Ireland, pray for us.

The description of the river flowing through the Temple is God’s promise of abundance and blessings for His people. It is also His call for us to immerse ourselves in the river of His grace that is at work in us. Everything is possible with God. Do we believe in His generosity and humbly ask Him to reflect His love and blessing for the world through us?

¹ The angel brought me, Ezekiel, back to the entrance of the temple of the Lord, and I saw water flowing out from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the facade of the temple was toward the east; the water flowed down from the southern side of the temple, south of the altar. ² He led me outside by the north gate, and around to the outer gate facing the east, where I saw water trickling from the right side. ³ Then when he had walked off to the east with a measuring cord in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and had me wade through the water, which was ankledeep. ⁴ He measured off another thousand and once more had me wade through the water, which was now knee-deep. Again he measured off a thousand and had me wade; the water was up to my waist. ⁵ Once more he measured off a thousand, but there was now a river through which I could not wade; for the water had risen so high it had become a river that could not be crossed except by swimming. ⁶ He asked me, “Have you seen this, son of man?” Then he brought me to the bank of the river, where he had me sit. ⁷ Along the bank of the river I saw very many trees on both sides. ⁸ He said to me, “This water flows into the eastern district down upon the Arabah, and empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh. ⁹ Wherever the river flows, every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live, and there shall be abundant fish, for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh. ¹² Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow; their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail. Every month they shall bear fresh fruit, for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary. Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine.”

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9

R: The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob.

² God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in distress. ³ Therefore we fear not, though the earth be shaken and mountains plunge into the depths of the sea. (R) ⁵ There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High. ⁶ God is in its midst; it shall not be disturbed; God will help it at the break of dawn. (R) ⁸ The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob. ⁹ Come! behold the deeds of the Lord, the astounding things he has wrought on earth. (R)

Gospel | John 5:1-16

Jesus intervenes in the healing at the Pool of Bethsaida. Here, we learn that healing depends on someone’s willingness and ability to help the one in need of healing, such as the sick man who needed help to get into the water. Through our faith, we understand that we must belong to a community to live fully.

Gospel Acclamation

A clean heart create for me, O God; give me back the joy of your salvation.

¹ There was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ² Now there is in Jerusalem at the Sheep Gate a pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, with five porticoes. ³ In these lay a large number of ill, blind, lame, and crippled. ^4-5 One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. ⁶ When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be well?” ⁷ The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.” ⁸ Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your mat, and walk.” ⁹ Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked. Now that day was a sabbath. ¹⁰ So the Jews said to the man who was cured, “It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to carry your mat.”   ¹¹ He answered them, “The man who made me well told me, ‘Take up your mat and walk.’ ” ¹² They asked him, “Who is the man who told you, ‘Take it up and walk’?” ¹³ The man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away, since there was a crowd there. ¹⁴ After this Jesus found him in the temple area and said to him, “Look, you are well; do not sin any more, so that nothing worse may happen to you.” ¹⁵ The man went and told the Jews that Jesus was the one who had made him well. ¹⁶ Therefore, the Jews began to persecute Jesus because he did this on a sabbath.  

Reflect

What parts of your life are in need of healing? 

Apart from Jesus, who are the people who can help you heal?

Read the Bible in one year! Read GENESIS 19 - 21 today.

When Saint Patrick was captured as a young man and taken to Ireland as a slave, his life seemed hopeless. But even in captivity, Patrick found God’s presence. He prayed constantly, and when he escaped years later, he felt called to return to Ireland—not as a slave but as a missionary. Patrick used simple things, like the shamrock, to explain the faith to the people. His life reminds us that God’s grace can work in unexpected ways and through the simplest things.

This connects to the story of Jesus and the crippled man at the Pool of Bethesda. In those days, people believed an angel stirred the pool’s waters, making them miraculous. The sick gathered around, hoping to be healed if they could reach the water first. In the Gospel, however, Jesus heals the crippled man not through water but by His word alone. He shows that He is the true source of grace and healing. Sadly, the Pharisees don’t see the miracle. They focus on rules and miss God’s work.

Like Saint Patrick, Jesus invites us to see grace with pure hearts. This Lenten season, we are called to turn away from bias and malice to recognize God’s mercy. As the Beatitude says, “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.” When we focus on grace rather than limitations, we find joy and salvation in God’s presence. Let us, like Saint Patrick, use simple things to remind ourselves and others of God’s love and grace in the world. 

Fr. Toto Cerada, SDB

reflection questions

This Lent, what biases or distractions in your life prevent you from fully seeing and embracing God’s grace? How can you make your heart purer to draw closer to Him?

Lord, cleanse my heart. Help me let go of my biases and embrace Your grace. Renew my faith and fill me with Your love and mercy. Amen.

Today, I pray for: ___________________________________