Word to the Wise
Monday, December 11, 2023 - 2nd Week of Advent - Mon
[Isa 35:1-10 and Luke 5:17-26]Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing. [Isaiah] "What are you thinking in your hearts? Which is easier to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins" - he said to the one who was paralyzed, "I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home." He stood up immediately before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God. [Luke]
Isaiah prophesied about the day of vindication that would come for the exiled Jews in Babylon. His words would have been familiar to the scribes and Pharisees who were in the room when the paralyzed man was dramatically dropped through the ceiling and plopped down in front of Jesus. The dispute about authority to forgive sins can distract from the fulfillment of the prophecy right in front of them. Jesus responds to the faith of the stretcher bearers and heals their paralyzed friend. "Then will the lame leap like a stag..."
One of my Dominican brothers once commented about the faith of the stretcher bearers and said that sometimes it takes a community to bring someone to Jesus. The stretcher bearers were not daunted by the crowd but ingeniously went up on the roof and tore open a hole big enough to lower their paralyzed friend to the floor!
During the Thanksgiving/Christmas "season" there are many groups that organize to collect food or toys or other necessities for those who are unable to provide for themselves. Many communities have food banks or shelter facilities. When these efforts are motivated by faith they can be a powerful preaching about "the day of the Lord." The paralyzed man in the gospel today is restored in his relationship to God and to his community (he would have been considered "unclean" because of his condition) and physically healed all because of the faith of his friends. Can we show that same faith that the stretcher bearers had? Can the "day of the Lord" dawn for others because we put our faith into action? Can we do this year-round and not just in the Advent/Christmas season? AMEN