Word to the Wise
Thursday, June 30, 2016 - Thursday in the 13th Week in Ordinary Time
[Amos 7:10-17 and Matt 9:1-8]"And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Courage, child, your sins are forgiven." [Matthew]
THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016 THURSDAY IN THE THIRTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
[Amos 7:10-17 and Matthew 9:1-8]
"And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Courage, child, your sins are forgiven." [Matthew]
The Gospel of Matthew is less colorful in its version of today's incident. In Mark and Luke, the stretcher bearers take the paralytic up on the roof, tear off part of the roof and lower the paralytic down into the room. While the theological emphasis here may well be on Jesus' power to forgive sins and the resistance of religious authorities to his teaching, what has captured my attention almost every time is Jesus' recognition of the faith of the stretcher bearers! It is this faith that moves Jesus to heal the paralytic.
It can be moving to hear the stories of participants in parish RCIA programs when they mention how their journey to become a Catholic was influenced by the faith of a Catholic friend or group of friends. Often, the influence is indirect - i.e. by good example. It is even better to hear this when the Catholic party was willing to openly share their faith. We may not think of ourselves as "evangelizers," but we are such when we live our faith openly and not hide it as some personal and individual matter. It could be something as simple as a religious medal or the Sign of the Cross that can spark an inquiry. It could be an act of kindness or an invitation to accompany one to Mass or to a baptism in the family.
The "New Evangelization" that St. John Paul II, and Popes Benedict and Francis have promoted depends really on the laity. If we take our faith seriously and joyfully, then others will want to have a share in it. AMEN
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