When Jesus returned to Capernaum after
some days, it became known that he was at home. Many gathered together so that
there was no longer room for them, not even around the door, and he
preached the word to them. They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by
four men. Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the
roof above him.
After they had broken through, they let
down the mat on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, he
said to him, “Child, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were
sitting there asking themselves, “Why does this man speak that way? He is
blaspheming. Who but God alone can forgive sins?” Jesus immediately knew in his
mind what they were thinking to themselves, so he said, “Why are you thinking
such things in your hearts?
Which is easier, to say to the paralytic,
‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, pick up your mat and walk’? But
that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth”
–he said to the paralytic, “I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home.”
He rose, picked up his mat at once, and went away in the sight of everyone.
They were all astounded and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything
like this.”
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Reflection:
What would you do if a sick person who is
poor will ask you for help? Will you bring him to a hospital or would you
simply ignore and move on with your life?
The gospel for today gives us direction on
what to do whenever somebody asks us for help regardless of who this somebody
is. We must help in whatever way the person in need this was the deed that was
done by the four men who went to the roof of the house where Jesus was staying.
The four men brought the paralytic to
Jesus. They did not care if they have to open the roof of the house so that
they could bring the paralytic in front of Jesus. What was important for them
was to extend help to the paralytic in whatever forms and ways.
What happened to the four men after the
paralytic was healed and forgiven of his sins by Jesus? They simply fade away
into the sunset; they did not receive any words of appreciation from the crowd
and from the man that they’ve helped.
But certainly, as they walked away and
mingled with the crowd. They carried in their hearts this unexplainable
happiness. Happiness that no human could give them, happiness that no amount of
money could satisfy them and happiness that only Jesus can give them.
This unexplainable happiness was given to them by Jesus for a job well done.
And for getting out of their own comfort zones so that they could give comfort
and help to someone in need.
How about us, what would we do if a sick
person who is poor would ask us for help? – Marino J. Dasmarinas