Tuesday in the 4th Week of Lent
Blood-Thinners

Readings: Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12; Psalm 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9; John 5:1-16

Blood-thinners are often among the medicines that people with heart problems or hypertension have to take regularly. If I’m not mistaken, the drug somehow helps to ease blood-flow and so to prevent dangerous clots that could cause strokes and even death. Something like the same thing seems to be happening in each of our readings today.

The first reading tells of a deep river flowing into the Arabah. We know that the latter is desert country. And the sea spoken of here is none other than the Dead Sea. Nothing can grow in this dry and salt-saturated wasteland. There is only barrenness and death. But everything changes radically with the advent of the waters flowing from the Temple in Jerusalem. Not unlike the blood-thinners, the living waters dilute the concentration of salt to the point where life of great variety begins to flourish. The once-dead sea begins to teem with fish and evergreen trees thrive on the banks of the river, providing medicinal leaves and tasty fruit to all.

A parallel image is found in the gospel. In place of the Dead Sea of the Arabah, we find the Sheep Pool at Bethzatha. The environment looks just as bleak. Crowds of sick people gather here hoping for a cure but find none. In place of salt, there is, perhaps, too high a concentration of superstition or ritualism or despair. Whatever it is, religious practice fails to give life. Then Jesus comes. And things begin to change. In his life-giving presence, faith begins to flourish, and sickness gives way to health, immobility to vitality. Pick up your mat and walk.

There is perhaps one other connection between blood-thinners and the situation in our readings. We find a hint of this in the persecution that Jesus is beginning to attract in the gospel. Here is a reminder of the central mystery we celebrate. Jesus brings us the fullness of life only by laying down his own. He thins the blood of our faith by selflessly spilling his own. This is the paschal mystery that, in the opening prayer, we begged God for the grace to embrace. This is also the spiritual medicine that we’re taking in these days of Lent. Through it, we are allowing the Lord to purify and thin us of the things that make our lives too thick to bear fruit, too concentrated to give life.

What effect is it having, both on us and around us, today?