A Few Words On "The Word"

February 19, 2006
The Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Mark 2: 1-12

Through the Roof

What have you ever wanted so badly that you went to extraordinary lengths to get it? The paralyzed guy in this gospel story wanted to meet Jesus so badly that his friends tore up the roof to lower him into the house where Jesus was since they couldn't get through the door!

Notice that the paralyzed guy doesn't ask Jesus for anything-to be forgiven, to be healed. Maybe for him, it was enough just to be in Jesus' presence, whatever may (or may not) happen. Jesus is totally moved by this, so he forgives all of the guy's failings and shortcomings. The gospel doesn't say so, but Jesus probably read the guy's mind-or heart, more like it. And Jesus gave him peace.

The gospel does say that Jesus reads the minds and hearts of the "scribes"-those goody-good folks who always do everything right, never have zits and dress just so. They're thinking, "Who does the dude think he is, forgiving someone's faults? Only God can do that..." What they don't get is this: The physical disability isn't the hard part. The hard part is the low self-esteem, maybe even self-loathing, that sometimes crops up in our minds and hearts when we discover that we're not perfect, that we have limits, that we're not A-list like the "scribes" of today, whichever that group is in our school or in our 'hood.

That's what Jesus heals first-the hard part, the hurting heart. But the scribes still don't get it. So Jesus heals the physical hurt, too. He's trying to make a point it's true. But he's not just using the paralyzed guy as a prop. This whole thing starts with the paralyzed guy's burning desire to be with Jesus-so much so that he goes through the roof, literally, to be at Christ's side.

Such human connection-one to another, all of us to God in Jesus-such connection heals the inside and makes the outside better, too.



Reflection Question

Who would you "go through the roof" to be with and find God's presence?

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