Gospel: Matthew
9:1-8
After
entering a boat, Jesus made the crossing, and came into his own town. And there
people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their
faith, he said to the paralytic, "Courage, child, your sins are
forgiven." At that, some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man
is blaspheming." Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, :Why do you
harbor evil thoughts? Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to
say, 'Rise and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority
on earth to forgive sins"–he then said to the paralytic, "Rise, pick
up your stretcher, and go home." He rose and went home. When the
crowds saw this they were struck with awe and glorified God who had given such
authority to men.
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Reflection:
Who
brought the paralytic to Jesus?
Nobody
knows because their names were not mentioned by Jesus in the gospel. Jesus knew
that those who brought the paralytic to Him were very humble and not very concerned
with the credit that they would receive. It was enough for them that they’ve
helped this paralytic go to Jesus.
After they were through with their mission to
bring the paralytic to Jesus they simply blended with the multitude of people.
Not concerned of their good deed and not concerned of the publicity that they
may receive.
How many
of us are like those who brought the paralytic to Jesus? They were very humble,
very selfless not concerned of the credit and publicity that is rightly due them.
In our
world today where we can easily publicize via social media every good deed that
we do.
The
gospel is teaching us be silent when we do good for the simple reason that
every acts of goodness that we do in secrecy and silence is appreciated more by
God.
Let us therefore help without any expectation
of something in return. Let us help without trumpeting the good deeds that we
do because God is more pleased by this. And certainly God rewards more those
who help and those who do good in silence and secrecy. – Marino J. Dasmarinas