Thursday, January 11, 2018

 

FRIDAY, 1st Week in Ordinary Time

January 12, 2018 – FRIDAY, 1st Week in Ordinary Time

Green.

 

1 Sm 8: 4- 7, 10- 22a / Mk 2: 1- 12

 

GOSPEL READING:           Mk 2: 1- 12

After some days 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 were astonished and praised God saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"

 

REFLECTION

In the Gospel reading we see the importance of people to help others. The paralytic could not have approached Jesus without the help of others. Four men, presumably friends or relatives, brought him to where Jesus was and, account of the large crowds, used their imagination to bring him to Jesus by lowering him though a hole in the roof. Jesus praises their faith and forgives the paralytic, When Jesus saw the faith of these people, he said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven." (Mk 2: 5)

 

Understandably many present, teachers of the Law, were shocked, "How can he speak like this insulting God? Who can forgive sins except God?" (MK 2: 7)

 

Jesus corrects them, '"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."'

 

Jesus' power to forgive sins continues in the Church in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In the evening of Easter Sunday, Jesus appeared to his disciples "and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit; for those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained" (Jn 20: 22b- 23)

 

We marvel and thank God for his generous gift of the forgiveness of sins through the Church, indeed a continuing wonder and miracle in the Church.

 

 

FINALLY, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most. 

 

Have a good day!

 

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