The Paralytic

Friday, January 13, 2017
1st Week in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: Heb. 4:1-5.11
Gospel: Mark 2:1-1

Jesus returned to Capernaum. As the news spread that he was at home, so many people gathered that there was no longer room even outside the door. While Jesus was preaching the Word to them, some people brought a paralyzed man to him.

The four men who carried him couldn’t get near Jesus because of the crowd, so they opened the roof above the room where Jesus was and, through the hole, lowered the man on his mat. When Jesus saw the faith of these people, he said to the paralytic, “My son, your sins are forgiven.”

Now, some teachers of the Law who were sitting there wondered within themselves, “How can he speak like this insulting God? Who can forgive sins except God?”

At once Jesus knew through his spirit what they were thinking and asked, “Why do you wonder? Is it easier to say to this paralyzed man: ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say: ‘Rise, take up your mat and walk?’ But now you shall know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.”

And he said to the paralytic, “Stand up, take up your mat and go home.” The man rose and, in the sight of all those people, he took up his mat and went out. All of them were astonished and praised God saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)

Irritability can be volatile at a time of infirmity. Consider the case of the paralytic. The awkward intrusion he had to make through the roof, and the physical condition that made it necessary for him to be carried around on a mat, were circumstances too taxing to his pride. But his need for a cure and his conviction that Jesus could do it for him built up his faith to a level too high for pride to overcome. But faith was not enough. Four people had to carry him. Perhaps it was even their suggestion that he should pass though the roof. While faith moved his spirit, those four men moved his body.

The story of the paralytic reminds us of the importance of community in the realization of what we believe. Faith necessarily involves other people because how can we practice the Commandment of love without others? This year 2017 the CBCP has chosen the theme “The Parish as Communion of Communities”. Communion in Greek is “koinonia” which connotes unity, fellowship, friendship, and participation. Communion (koinonia) necessarily involves communion with the divine and communion among believers.

Our being in a community could bring lots of irritations. But if we truly believe, we stand ready for anything, as the paralytic was ready for any embarrassing fete imposed upon him by his community just to get to Jesus. – (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., D.M.

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