We ALL Have a Friend in Jesus

The famous gospel song What a Friend We Have in Jesus touches deep in the hearts of many in the South. This song is not limited to so-called Gospel Churches, but is a long-time traditional hymn in many Western Christian Churches who share in the hope of Jesus Christ.

In the Gospel on the Fourth Sunday of Pascha the Church commemorates the Sunday of the Paralytic where we hear a man, paralyzed for 38 years meet Christ. Jesus ask, “’Do you want to be made well?’ The sick man answered Him, ‘Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool.’” (John 5.6-7) Jesus had compassion on the man and healed him immediately “on the spot” without hearing another word.

We also are in need of someone to help heal us. As the song goes, we have a friend in Jesus, and He has come that we may live forever. We sing “Christ is Risen!” not just because we celebrate Pascha, but because in His Resurrection death has been conquered and we are now blessed to live with God forever.

We also have a hymn about the help Jesus give us. In the Kontakion of the Paralytic we sing, “I am grievously paralyzed in a multitude of sins and wrongful deeds. As You raised up the paralytic of old, also raise up my soul by Your divine guidance, that I may cry out, "Glory to Your Power O Compassionate Christ."

Christ is Risen!