The miraculous healing of the paralytic by Jesus Christ

Praise be to the Triune God!

?“The believer’s act [of faith] does not terminate in the propositions, but in the realities [which they express]”- St Thomas Aquinas (STh II-II,1,2, ad 2.)

Respected Father and my beloved brothers!

Today is the third Sunday of the Great Lent. This Sunday is known as M’sario Sunday. The Syriac word M’sario means “paralyzed, dissolute, and begun.” Here we can see the two levels of the meaning of the Syriac word M’sario.

a.???Positive: begun

b.???Negative: paralyzed, paralytic, loose, dissolute

Today’s Gospel reading brings our attention to both sides of the word M’sario through the description of the miraculous healing of the paralytic by Jesus Christ, narrated in the Gospel of Mark Chapter 2:1-12.

By hearing the arrival of Jesus to his home at Capernaum people gathered around him. People expected miracles and healing from Jesus. At this time four people brought a paralyzed man there. Since they found it difficult to meet Jesus they removed the roof, dug through it, and let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. They did not say a word to heal the man, but Jesus by seeing their faith healed the paralytic by forgiving his sins. By seeing this healing miracle the scribes began to raise many questions in their hearts about the authority of Jesus to forgive sins because they believed that only God forgive sins. Realizing their inner thoughts Jesus healed the paralytic and affirmed his divinity and authority to forgive sins.

This episode combines the formal characteristics of a healing miracle with those of a pronouncement story. This healing miracle describes the cure of a paralyzed man in response to the faith of friends of the paralytic and how Jesus answers the controversy over the authority of Jesus to forgive sins. In this miracle, we can see two types of responses of the people. The first group responded in faith in Jesus and glorified God. The second group criticized him and was reluctant to follow him.

In the first case, Jesus heals the physical illness of a person by forgiving the sins of the paralytic, because Jesus has seen the faith of the friends who brought that person to him. From the narration of the miracle, it is very clear that the sickness of the person results from the state of sin and it affected the health of the person. It signifies how sin has hardened his mind and body. The people who brought him to Jesus did not rectify the real reason behind his disease and they did not say anything about his illness. They were silent in front of Jesus. Their silence reveals their faith in the divine power of Jesus. This faith in Jesus enabled them to overcome all barriers before them to bring the paralytic to Jesus for the physical healing of the paralytic. But Jesus realized the real state of the person and said, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Here Jesus reveals to the people that he is not a mere miracle worker, but God who can forgive sins. Here the healed man begins a new life.

We can see another group of persons who criticize in their hearts the authority of Jesus to forgive sins. They knew that only God forgives sins, but the mere knowledge of God does not grant them the realization of the divinity of Jesus. They were reluctant to admit Jesus as God. Here though they are not paralytic physically, they reveal their inner paralysis. They are not able to respond to divine revelation optimistically.

This gospel passage brings two models before us.

a.???Have True faith in Jesus, express it and Live Free

b.???Have propositions of faith, harden the heart, and live in a state of inner paralysis.

When we bring these two models in the present situation we can see that many people are paralyzed inside. They are not able to respond to a situation positively. This type of indifference is within the mind. And in the later stage it will be manifested in different forms such as in the form of unnecessary criticism, inability to see the good and do good, hopelessness in life, always finding negative, the tendency of destructive criticism, etc. At the same time, we can see people who begin a new life in Christ. Above all, some good-hearted people stand for the meek and weak and build the Church of Christ.

We Christians are called to have persistent faith in Jesus and bring the weak to the universal healer.

We Christians should have a creative and courageous faith that enables us to reach Jesus.

The healing miracle brings us the message that Faith in Jesus brings healing to oneself and others. According to St Thomas Aquinas “Faith is a foretaste of the knowledge that will make us blessed in the life to come.” (Comp. theol. 1,2)

Dear brothers let us pray to Jesus in this Holy Mass the grace to transform ourselves to Christ so that we may be able to witness Jesus in every situation of life. This lent may prepare us to begin a new life in Christ!

Glory be to the father, to the Son, and the Holy Spirit! Amen!?