December 11, 2017
Monday, 2nd Week of
Advent1st Reading: Is 35:1–10Gospel: Lk 5:17–26
One day Jesus was teaching and many Pharisees and teachers of the Law had come from every part of Galilee and Judea and even from Jerusalem. They were sitting there while the power of the Lord was at work to heal the sick. Then some men brought a paralyzed man who lay on his mat. They tried to enter the house to place him before Jesus, but they couldn’t find a way through the crowd. So they went up on the roof and, removing the tiles, they lowered him on his mat into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus.When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “My friend, your sins are forgiven.” At once the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees began to wonder, “This man insults God! Who can forgive sins but only God?But Jesus knew their thoughts and asked them, “Why are you reacting like this? Which is easier to say: ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or: ‘Get up and walk’? Now you shall know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” And Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” At once the man stood before them. He took up the mat he had been lying on and went home praising God.Amazement seized the people and they praised God. They were filled with a holy fear and said, “What wonderful things we have seen today!”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
If not for his firm conviction that Jesus could cure him, the paralytic of today’s Gospel reading would have clammed up. He’d refuse being lowered from the roof before an impatient and scrupulous crowd. It must have been faith, and it was doubly rewarded, for he did not only get physical healing from Jesus but forgiveness as well.
When Jesus did this the Pharisees accused him of insulting God. “… For who can forgive sins except God?” they protested. The faith of the paralytic triggered the happening of the impossible. “Faith can move mountains” has not been said without basis.
The power of faith to move mountains is matched today by the awesome wonders that technology could draw out. What was breath taking in the past because of faith is now “maliit na bagay” because of technology. This is cause for alarm. We know that technology can lead to destruction while faith always leads to salvation. Technology can never do what faith does for us.
Technology need not destroy our faith. It’s the way we take it for a God. This Advent season is our opportune time to campaign for faith’s revival. May our faith be strong enough to lead us to where the paralytic found healing and forgiveness! – (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., D.M.
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