Please listen to Father Broom's Homily about the Friends of the Paralytic
Imagine yourself a paralytic! Your
legs immobile, dependent almost totally on the mercy and compassion of others,
desiring ardently to walk, jump, leap and run, but just a mere dream. Confined
to a bed, or couch or wheel-chair experiencing a certain sense of futility and
helplessness!
In a certain real sense this scenario
presents itself in the 5th Chapter of the Gospel of St. Luke, verses
17-26. However, what we would like to
focus on in this Gospel scenario is not so much the inability, helplessness and
incapacity of the paralytic but in the
noble and loving hearts of the FRIENDS of this paralytic. Call to mind also the
theological truth: God allows evil to bring greater good out of the evil.
Therefore, let us list the numerous
virtues of these anonymous Friends of the Paralytic, admire these virtues but accept
the challenge to implement these virtues into our own daily lives. The Word of God should always challenge us to
go beyond who we are, where we are, always aiming higher!
1.
LOVE AND COMPASSION. These friends obviously had compassion
towards their friend the paralytic.
Keenly aware of his suffering and inability to move, their hearts were
moved. “Compassion” is the ability and willingness to suffer with and for the
ones you love. Question and challenge: do you have a compassionate heart? Has
your heart grown cold, callous and insensitive in time?
2.
ACTIVE CHARITY! The compassion of the stretcher-bearers was
not limited to pious thoughts, clichés or simply pious platitudes but their
compassion moved them to action to help remedy the plight of their suffering friend.
Question: Is your love simply words and
lip-service or is it translated into concrete actions? Remember the words of Jesus at the end of the
Sermon on the Mount: “Not all those who
say Lord, Lord will enter the Kingdom of God, but those who do the will of my
heavenly Father.”
3.
FAITH AND BELIEF. Indeed charity—supernatural love for God and
neighbor- is the greatest of all virtues for we will be judged on love.
However, in order of action faith comes before charity. Clearly we cannot love
what we do not know! Therefore, these friends of the paralytic must have either
seen Jesus, heard Him preach, witnessed one or more of His miracles or simply
heard of Jesus. But in any case, they placed firm faith in the power of Jesus to
heal their friend. They had the faith
that can move the mountains. Question
and challenge! In this year of faith,
have you made a concerted effort to grow in your own faith and taken the
necessary means to accomplish this goal and objective? If so, keep climbing! If
not, why not start today!
4.
STRENUOUS EFFORT AND SACRIFICE. The athletes have a saying: “No pain no gain!” A classical “Rock n’ Roll” group of the 60’s
was named: “Blood, Sweat and tears”. Without exerting energy and effort, our
own blood, sweat and tears, then little will be accomplished. These friends,
the stretcher-bearers, had to carry the dead-weight of their friend. No van,
car, bus, helicopter or subway service! Those were tough days! Maybe they had
to travel a mile or two. The Gospel does not specify the distance. However,
very possible it may have been that these friends ended up with blisters on
their hands and maybe popped and bloody blisters on their palms of their hands.
Remember the hands of the crucified Savior and Redeemer, Jesus the Lord! Question and challenge: Are you willing to
walk the extra mile, to undergo the pain, to offer your own blood sweat and
tears to glorify God and to save souls and to work out your own sanctification
and salvation? Our God is a loving God
but He will always challenge us to give more each day! Why not accept the challenge?
5.
TENACITY, PERSISTENCE AND PERSEVERANCE. When confronted with a huge obstacle---
namely, the house where Jesus was teaching was packed to the gills--- there was
no way to maneuver their paralyzed friend through the multitude. Easily defeated they could have decided to
give up the pursuit of Jesus, thrown in the towel and disheartened and
discouraged returned their paralyzed friend home just as he was. Not on your
life for these courageous troopers! Come hell or high water, they were
determined to attain their goal and objective: to meet Jesus and attain the
cure and healing of their friend. These men had the attitude of St. Teresa of
Avila: a determined determination to never give up!!!! Question and challenge: When confronted with
obstacles in your path, detours in your way, contradictions and thorns along
the route, do you easily give up and simply throw in the towel? Why not make a
serious examination of conscience on this point! Remember the words of Saint
James: “Consider it all joy, my brothers,
when you encounter various trials. For you know that the testing of your faith
produces perseverance. And let perseverance be perfect and complete, lacking in
nothing.” (James 1:2-4)
6.
CREATIVITY! Not only were the faithful friends not
daunted and sidetracked to attain their object--- the total healing of their friend
the paralytic—but they utilized one of the most original, creative indeed
humorous tactics to meet Jesus. They decided to climb on top of the roof of the
house, move the tiles and lower him down to Jesus. Wow!!! Question and challenge! Blessed Pope John
Paul II, ushering us into the new
millennium, challenged all of us to become missionaries, apostles and to take
efforts to evangelize in this “Springtime of grace”. Furthermore, the saintly pope challenged us
to be open to “Apostolic creativity”.
This means, that we must be open to the breath of the Holy Spirit who
breaths where He wills and be ready to utilize new, creative and modern means
to preach the word of God to the entire human race. (Mt 28). Are you willing to
drop your nets into the sea, to go fishing in new waters and pursue the lost
sheep in a new and original way that the Holy Spirit may inspire you? Follow
the saints and be courageous!
7.
CRUSH HUMAN RESPECT! The faithful friends could have easily been criticized
for their “unorthodox” strategy and tactics. Nonetheless, they could care
less! Their love, compassion, determination,
sincerity and good will would not be thwarted but implemented, despite the
possible objection of the populace! Question and challenge! Are you a “People-pleaser” or a
“God-pleaser”? Are your actions motivated by human respect and a hidden desire
to receive accolades and applause by people or are the actions motivated by the
Ignation A.M.D.G. --- All for the Greater honor and glory of God! Check and examine your hidden designs and
intentions; where do they lie?
8.
VICTORY! After all the time, effort, struggles,
setbacks, apparent contradictions, the friends of the paralytic, the stretcher
bearers, attained their final objective to encounter Jesus. Rejoicing over the
faith and love of these men and the faith and suffering of the paralytic, Jesus
----always overflowing in goodness—bestows on the man a double blessing! First,
Jesus heals him of his spiritual paralysis—another name for sin. Then, Jesus proceeds
to heal his body, thereby restoring to the limbs of the paralytic healing,
strength and mobility! Question and challenge! Are you aware of the reality of
your own paralysis? Maybe you can walk, hop, skip and run; however, you (as
well as the world at large) all suffer from moral paralysis which means that we
are sinners! Why not approach Jesus the
Healer this very day through a good confession so that Jesus can heal and
strengthen your limbs so that you can leap with joy in His presence!
9.
JOY AND REJOICING! The friends lived out the Pauline expression:
“Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep
with those who weep!” The paralytic’s joy had no bounds; likewise
the joy of the friends exploded! Question and challenge? Has jealousy or envy ever
consumed you over the success of your brother, sister, relative, friend or
neighbor? If so, repent! Live out: “Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep
with those who weep!”
10. PRACTICAL CLOSING
APPLICATION. Indeed the paralytic is
you and me because we indeed as sinners are interiorly paralyzed. Good News!
Jesus was in the healing business 2000 years ago but is alive and active even
today. Why not allow Jesus, the wounded healer, to heal you so that you being
healed can indeed be a wounded healer in a wounded and broken world! Lastly,
place all of your relatives and friends—who indeed are spiritual paralytics—on
the altar (the “stretcher”) so that as the priest elevates the Host and Chalice
these blind and deaf paralytics will be healed by the loving and powerful
presence of Jesus the Wounded Healer! Our Lady, health of the Sick and cause of
our joy, pray for us!
