Grace and Favor

Homily for Tuesday of the 4th Week in Lent

In the Gospel text today, the pool of Bethesda is said to have five porticoes, sometimes called covered colonnades or porches. Beneath these covered porticoes, many ill, blind, lame, and crippled people took shelter. The number five serves as a powerful reminder of God's grace and favor throughout the Bible. Its recurring presence in key biblical narratives and teachings, such as the feeding of the 5,000 with five barley loaves and today’s reference to the porticoes of Bethesda, emphasizes the importance of grace in the relationship between God and humanity, encouraging believers to reflect on and appreciate this divine gift in their lives. In the Hebrew Scriptures the number appears 300 times while it appears 45 times in the Christian Scriptures.

Consequently, I would suggest “grace and favor” as today’s mindfulness trigger. Let us spend time today reflecting on God’s grace and favor in our lives, especially through the living waters of Baptism, and come to an appreciation of this divine gift.