December 5, 2022-Luke 5:17-26
The first reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah expresses the excitement and anticipation of God’s coming among us, while in the Gospel we see this promise fulfilled through the episode of the healing of a paralytic in Luke’s version. The paralytic is carried by Jesus lowered through the roof of the house. The efforts made by the sick man’s friends to carry him indicate their great faith and trust in Jesus.
Jesus’ popularity must have already been well and truly great if not only the people but also the doctors of the law flocked from all parts of Palestine and from the capital Jerusalem itself to hear him. The power of God was manifested in Jesus in the fact that He healed all the sick who were presented to Him.
At that time, diseases and physical defects were thought to be the direct result of sins committed and, therefore, an “indelible” punishment from God. Therefore, paralytics and many other physically disabled people felt rejected
and distant from God! Of course there were, then as now, men who “familiarized” themselves with sin, to the point of making it their philosophy of life, of being sinners by their own will. But sin is seen here by Jesus as an evil force that assaults man, as a force that wants to bend man, striking him even physically in order to discourage him, depress him, turn him away from putting his trust in the Lord again.
But in order to heal from the oppression of one’s sins, even physically, we know that sincere repentance is needed. The paralytic in the episode described by Luke does not go to Jesus to make his confession, as we will say today; then how is it possible for Jesus to forgive him his sins? The paralytic, seeing the crowd that prevented his passage, does not give up, does not desist from his goal of reaching Jesus, and lets himself be lowered from the roof. In that gesture Jesus acknowledges his faith and through forgiveness gives him the strength to consolidate his own faith, and through it to obtain forgiveness.
Jesus comes to the man to give him the strength to fight against sin, that sin that alienates him from his relationship with God. Jesus surprises because he asks a very specific question, “Why do you think this way in your heart?” and not “Why do you say this?” Jesus wants to confront the Pharisees and teachers of the law directly, because they turn people away from the possibility of recognizing in Him the Messiah, the Son of God and, therefore, the way of salvation.
For good workers…
We too need Christ’s healing that removes everything that paralyzes us or hinders us from following Him. Healed and forgiven, we can set out toward our true home, which is being with Him.
Fr Joby Kavungal RCJ