Jesus didn't ask the sick man: "Do you want to be sick?" The sick man, and most people, would answer with a resounding "No." Jesus asked him, and asks us, "Do you want to be healed?" (Jn 5:6) The sick man didn't answer "Yes." Perhaps he wanted to be rid of his sickness, but didn't want to change the lifestyle of limitations and sin (Jn 5:14) that he'd built around his sickness. He had a soul sickness as well as a physical sickness.

It's not in Jesus' nature to do a half-healing. He won't limit Himself to only heal what's causing you the most pain. In addition to healing your knee, He'll also insist on healing your relationship with your father. You go into Jesus' emergency room to be healed of high blood pressure, and He first talks about healing you of unforgiveness toward someone who hurt you "thirty-eight years" ago (Jn 5:5). You want to stick your toe into healing water (Jn 5:2ff), and Jesus wants to sweep you away in His healing river of life (Ez 47:5, 12), to baptize, to immerse you.

Jesus stands at your door (see Rv 3:20) and asks you: "Do you want to be healed? Do you want overflowing, abundant life? (Jn 10:10) Whatever is lifeless in you, I will make fresh and new (Ez 47:9). In My healing, I will heal you and free you of spending your life hidden beneath the shroud of sickness, depression, anxiety, and fear of death (Heb 2:15). I will heal you for evangelization, and give you the power to witness to Me and pierce hearts by speaking My prophetic word. I will make you a light for the world (Mt 5:14). Answer, My child! Do you want to be healed?"

Rescript:  †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General Archdiocese of Cincinnati, August 14, 2007

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.