Another Broken Believers Classic Post
The subject of “the pool at Bethesda” alludes to the following excerpt from the Thorton Wilder play, “The Angel that Troubled the Waters”. The play is based on the biblical verses of John 5:1-4, but it changes the end of the parable. I first encountered this excerpt within the book “Abba’s Child: The Cry of the Heart for Intimate Belonging“, by Brennan Manning.
The play tells of a physician who comes periodically to the pool of Bethesda, hoping to be the first in the water and healed of his melancholy when the angel appears and troubles the water. Everybody at the pool also hopes to be the first in the water and thereby healed of his malady. The angel appears but blocks the physician at the moment he is ready to step into the pool and be healed.
Angel: “Draw back, physician, this moment is not for you.”
Physician: “Angelic visitor, I pray thee, listen to my prayer.
Angel: “Healing is not for you.”
Physician: “Surely, surely, the angels are wise. Surely, O Prince, you are not deceived by my apparent wholeness. Your eyes can see the nets in which my wings are caught; the sin into which all my endeavors sink half-performed cannot be concealed from you.”
Angel: “I know.”
………………
Physician: “Oh, in such an hour was I born, and doubly fearful to me is the flaw in my heart. Must I drag my shame, Prince and Singer, all my days more bowed than my neighbor?”
Angel: “Without your wound where would your power be? It is your very sadness that makes your low voice tremble into the hearts of men. The very angels themselves cannot persuade the wretched and blundering children on earth as can one human being broken on the wheels of living. In Love’s service only the wounded soldiers can serve. Draw back.”
Later, the person who enters the pool first and was healed rejoices in his good fortune then turns to the physician before leaving and said:
“But come with me first, an hour only, to my home. My son is lost in dark thoughts. I — I do not understand him, and only you have ever lifted his mood. Only an hour . . . my daughter, since her child has died, sits in the shadow. She will not listen to us but she will listen to you.”
………………………………………
For me, this story has made an incredible difference and, because the message of this excerpt—“Without your wound where would your power be?“—carries so much meaning for me. As this has taught me that its through my weakness I can see others like Jesus does. I believe, for me, it is my whole foundation for ministry.
that just makes me cry and cry, for no words can speak the language of suffering,
Thank you for sharing so much encouragement on this beautiful site, Bryan. I love the story above. “In Love’s service, only wounded soldiers can serve.” How encouraging for a fellow wounded soldier!
Love in Christ,
Carolyn
That is a great line! But sometimes I wish it wasn’t true.
This is a beautiful website, My son suffers from severe mental illness and was brought to a local hospital and was NOT admitted. We are all heartbroken.He’s now on the street, wandering…he has a family who adores him , please pray that he comes back to us…He just walked away from the life that it took him ten years to build, we can’t understand . We try not to dispair…I’m having the most trouble(Mom) ,I can’t fix it ..this problem.Please pray for me.. I need some of God’s grace to keep going ,it’s in short supply in my life now,I’m at the bottom…everyone counts on me to be strong. I am a practicing Roman Catholic..Please ask Christ to help me ..just today. Thank You, Norma
Oh, my heart aches for your family. What a bitter and discouraging time for you. I can understand this, (as my own life has been shattered by my own mental illness,) Patience is really important right now
You’re welcome here. Hopefully you will find encouragement and info. Just one thing, I encourage you to find a definite work of serving someone else. A food pantry, or a shelter, a LTC unit. Serving will realign many things. Read some “Mother Teresa.” She really boosts me.
ybic,
Bryan
Pastor Bryan, Thanks for the reply…I’ve been in service professions my whole life, and you are correct. I want to stay home and bury my head in the sand. I’ve nursed, taught and now am once again in health care in a small private office, with a Dr. and small staff. They say that they understand my problems with my son Max, but my husbad says that you can’t really understand unless you’ve loved someone who is mentally ill. When you see before your very eyes the disease taking over the actual identity of your loved one , nothing is more frightening. Please keep praying for us. Pray that Max, will be safe ,and that his guardian angel will stay close to him, tThanks Again, Norma
Max is now in my prayers, as you and your hubby.
You are so right. Scripture ilustrates power being the friend of weakness continually throughout. I am schizophrenic and many a prayer has been made as the mightmarish dreams of thought have uncovered many a fear for the loss of souls and the inner attached reality of hell. My senses are sttuned quite so to spiritual poverty of not only mine own. The struggle is not the existence of schizophrenia but the ongoing challenge of what will I let it mean to me and the world I want to serve.
The things we are, are meant to be transformed. I have become much, much more aware of others because of my mental illness. I am learning to be thankful for these bitter lessons.