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7th Sunday Ordinary Time B

Celebrating 100 years

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Cycle B

B203: What happened to the four helpful friends in today's gospel (Mark 2:1-12) who carried the sick man to Jesus?

Every scripture reading begs us to identify with one or more characters in the script, to make the story "come alive" for us and to help us in our meditation. In today's reading, try to think of yourself as one of the four unidentified people who tore a hole in the roof (the roof of Jesus' own home - good thing he was a carpenter) and lowered the sick man down to Jesus.

What I see are four outstanding disciples of Christ - exactly what you and I are called to be and to do! Think about it: who is more paralyzed - you, or the man on the mat? Do you bring people to Jesus? Rather than clucking our tongues "tsk, tsk, tsk" in judgment, what do our "sick" friends really need from us? Do you witness to your own faith belief by sharing His healing word with your acquaintances? Each one of us knows someone in our circle of family and friends who is "paralyzed" because of sin and wrongdoing; that person needs you to hear God's healing word.

Lest we forget, it was the faith of the four friends that caused Jesus to heal and restore the sick man to spiritual wholeness. The physical wholeness was a cure for the sake of the salvation of the doubters. To press the point home, are you the reason that others are NOT restored to spiritual wholeness, because of your inactivity? Are people stuck on their mats forever because of you?

Know Your Catechism! Jesus' first concern is always the spiritual healing of each one of us. He intended that this ministry was continued through his apostles and their successors, when he said "Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them" (John 20:23)(CCC #1441-43). Do you make regular (at least monthly is recommended) use of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession)? Jesus wants to heal us spiritually and physically (CCC #1421). Can you help "lower others through the roof" to enable this to happen? Do I realize that I cannot receive Holy Communion if I have committed a mortal sin (CCC #1457), but must first receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation?

Pick up your mat and go home

Those men who tore a hole in the roof so as to let down the poor paralytic for a cure, certainly merited the miracle for their persistence. Persistence must also have helped bring healing at Lourdes to modern paralytic, John Traynor.

John was an Irishman born in Liverpool - a strapping laborer. When World War I broke out, he was called up by the Royal Naval Reserve, and took part in the Dardanelles campaign of 1915. One day a Turkish machine gun sprayed his head and chest and severed the nerves of his upper right arm. For five years surgeons tried again and again to repair the multiple damage, but to no purpose. Finally the British government put him on full Navy pension as completely and permanently disabled.

In 1923, Traynor, a devout man, heard of an English pilgrimage bound for Lourdes. He decided to go, even at the cost of much of his savings. Everybody told him the idea was crazy, he would not survive the trip. "If I die at Lourdes," he replied, "it will be a good place." He did almost die en route, and again at the Lourdes hospital. The Lourdes physicians who examined him agreed that he was a physical wreck. Yet he insisted in being bathed several times in the miraculous spring. Two days before the pilgrims were to return to England, his legs moved during the bath; and during the Eucharistic blessing afterwards his nerveless arm came to life. He threw off the arm bandage and blessed himself. Next morning he suddenly awoke, jumped from his hospital bed and ran to the grotto in his nightshirt to give thanks. When the doctors examined him before he left on July 27, they recorded his as a remarkable recovery. Traynor himself was completely unaware of what had happened to him until his bishop gently explained to him on the pilgrimage train that he had been cured. All the rest of his life, John was full of gratitude to God and Our Lady. He established a trucking business and was quite successful. When he died in 1943 it was of a hernia, quite unrelated to his wartime injuries.

... Jesus said, "Pick up your mat and go home". The man stood and picked up his mat and went outside in the sight of everyone. (Mark, 2:10-12. Gospel of the day)

-Father Robert F. McNamara

Q359: Did the four friends who helped the paralytic in today's gospel (Mark 2:1-12) have a special calling to help others?

A few years ago, a friend in New Brunswick (Beth Johnston) put me in touch with a website called the "Giraffe Heroes Project." This is a small organization which actively seeks out stories about people who have taken personal risks while doing things for the common good. They are usually ridiculed and opposed, sometimes even losing their jobs. But they "stick their necks out" in order to right a wrong, or make life better for someone else. They could be anyone from a "whistle blower" to a compassionate person who wants to bring a difference into the life of someone in need.

Today in the gospel we hear about four friends who are "giraffes" - sticking their necks out for a friend in need. After all, they know they are probably going to get people very angry at them, because they have to tear someone's roof apart in order to gain access to Jesus! It is risky business, but their friend is paralyzed and cannot help himself. You can imagine the noisy ruckus that this process must have caused, as they surmounted obstacles to achieve their objective.

Jesus also was a "giraffe" today. He stuck his neck out by publicly forgiving the paralyzed man's sins. That immediately opened Jesus to the charge of "blasphemy," because every one knew that only God can forgive sins! Jesus then confirmed the power of God as being present and active when he physically healed the paralytic, and then sent him home.

There is still another aspect about "giraffes" that is common to them. These people are not one-time do-gooders. Instead, they continue to be involved in long-term efforts at improvements. Jesus was continually seeking to make people whole, by preaching, teaching, healing, and praying. I am confident that the four friends of the paralytic also continued their compassionate service to others, in that same attitude of heart. There is a message there for each one of us.

KNOW YOUR CATECHISM! Last Sunday my granddaughter Natalie received the Sacrament of Confirmation. It reminded me that each one of us is called and empowered to carry on the mission of Jesus - a mission of compassionate service. In this age of constant attacks against moral truth and rampant social injustice, everyone is called and obliged to actively spread and defend the faith by word and deed (CCC #1285). You may need to become a "giraffe." The earlier centuries also called it a "martyr."


Page last modified on October 17, 2007, at 11:44 AM