15 January 2016
Friday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Here is another early miracle that deserves special consideration. We do not know if the paralyzed man had faith or not. Certainly the faith of those who carried him to Jesus was as strong as their arms. They must have cared for the paralytic as well and wanted the encounter to take place. They desired the end and took the means to achieve it.
Am I solicitous in bringing others to Jesus or do I imagine the obstacles I might encounter that stand in the way? Are there friends, acquaintances in my life who have become paralyzed by sin or the spirit of relativism? Do I pray for them? Do I prudently try to remove obstacles that separate them from an encounter with Jesus?
Then too, do I recognize my own limitations, my own paralysis in coming nearer to Jesus? Am I afraid to seek help, advice? We are all pilgrims on our way to meet Jesus face to face and we do so together, relying on the aid of others.