Friday, January 17, 2020 — First week of Ordinary time — Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 2, 1-12 — In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

This paralyzed man had double healing before Jesus. The first is the healing of the body: an impotent paralytic carried by four men is brought before Jesus; a strong man, carrying his own stretcher, gets up and leaves him. The second is the healing of the soul: a forgiven person washed of his sins.

By every possible means, people try to come to Jesus, and nothing can stop this poor man from being brought before Him. This means that everyone needs Jesus to be saved. Helping each other is essential for salvation. The four men who brought this sick man deserve the greatest admiration, an example of effective commitment within the Church.

Many are those who no longer or hardly ever attend church, those who no longer take the time to pray. They need our encouragement and support so that they dare to approach God again. Jesus is always merciful to those who approach Him and forgives so that some of the scribes consider Him a blasphemer.

What is in Jesus is in the Father, a compassionate heart to the suffering of others. It's not only this paralytic healed by Jesus who need God's mercy and pardon., but all of us, weak and unfaithful beings, we need salvation in order to stand on our own feet, and not slump us into a paralyzing sin.