Reflection for Friday, 1st Week in Ordinary Time 

By

Fr. Aloysius Santiago sdb
Director, Social Action Movement, Don Bosco Bidar 

Today's WORD of GOD 

Mark 2: 1-12 

A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.  Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them.Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 

Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves,  “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 

Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 

He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” 


Meditation on the Word of God 

Several Details in Today’s Readings Seem to Balance Each Other. 

JESUS Exemplifies at Capernaum how to Adapt to Dramatic Change & Yet Move Steadily Onward, towards GOD'S Rest. There is a Large Gathering at the Home of Peter’s Mother-in-law, Presumably JESUS' Temporary Headquarters at Capernaum. 

We may See It as a Symbol of CHURCH Unity, a Reality Larger than Our Roman Catholic Model of the world CHURCH & One that Enables All Believers to be United with JESUS, & so with Each Other. From HIM, in the Setting of Peter’s Home, Comes GOD'S WORD to All who would Listen.

An Unruly Scene Takes Place in that house, Showing the Ingenuity & Determination of the 4 Men who Carried Their Paralysed Friend to JESUS. When They Cannot Get Through the Crowd, They Simply Carried the Man to the Flat Roof of the house, made a Hole in It & Lowered the Sick Man into the Presence of JESUS. 

The Story Shows a Nice Blend of Helpfulness & Dependency. Without the Paralytic Those 4 Healthy Men would Never have Gotten This Close to JESUS, & Without His Friends the Paralytic was Unable to Get Anywhere.

The Supreme Moment Comes when JESUS Renews the Work of the Creator, by Healing the Paralytic & Restoring Him to Health in Body & Spirit: “Which is Easier, to Say to the Paralytic, ‘Your Sins are Forgiven,’ or to Say, ‘Stand Up, Pick Up Your Mat, & Walk Again’?” 

To Enter into GOD'S Paradise there must be Forgiveness, Not Only from JESUS, But Also from Each of Us. 

We are All Told to Forgive Our Neighbour if We Wish to be  Forgiven by GOD. Such is the Prayer Each Day in the Our FATHER. 

With such Forgiveness, We Remain United as One People of GOD & We Avoid the Excesses of Dominance & Mutual Recrimination.

The Image of the 4 Men Carrying the Paralytic to JESUS is a very Graphic One. They were so Determined to Get Him to JESUS that They Opened a Hole in the Roof above JESUS when Their Way through the Door was Blocked because of the Crowd. 

They Wanted to Get Their Friend to JESUS because They Recognized JESUS as the Source of Health & Life. They were Taking Their Friend to a Fuller Life. 

Sometimes We can Do very Little for Ourselves & Become Completely Dependant on Others for Our Recovery & Safety. More Often We may Find Ourselves like the 4 Friends in the Gospel, in a Position to Bring Others Back on Their Feet, to Help Them from Darkness to Light. 

We Need to Carry Each Other’s Burdens. The LORD Looks to Us to Help HIM to Carry the Burdens of Others & to Bring Them to a Greater Fullness of Life.

Good Morning

God bless you

Have a lovely day