A painful church experience became the starting point for a deeper reflection on Jesus’ healing of the man at the Bethesda Pool in John 5:1–15, challenging common misreadings of disability, dependence, and faith. This article invites readers to sit in discomfort and see the story differently

Christina Minaki reflects on the deep hope of Advent: the God who kept His promises at Christmas continues to keep them now. Through waiting, uncertainty, and the realities of disability, she witnesses a Saviour who draws near, sustains, and shines His light into every circumstance.

Disability is not a barrier to the work of God’s grace in someone’s life. Jesus saves disabled people, as they are, without condition. The Church must embrace this truth, welcoming people with disabilities into full participation in worship and community, recognizing their unique gifts and the ways God is working through them.

God works through disability, using what the world sees as weakness to accomplish His plans. Jesus Himself chose to bear the scars of suffering even after His resurrection, showing solidarity with the weak. As the Church, we are called to do the same.

What does it mean to be an integral part of the Church when attending worship means facing barriers? While I’ve never felt unwelcome as a disabled person, many disabled individuals have. Some of this exclusion stems from a lack of access, but often there’s also a lukewarm or resistant attitude toward disabled people in the church.

In a Toronto waterfront encounter, a friend navigates the delicate balance between good intentions and genuine understanding. A neighbor's well-meant prayer in the rain, though misguided, calls for authentic empathy, reflecting a deeper compassion we should embody