Monday of the Second Week of Advent
Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Lk 5: 17-26
December 11, 2023 | Monday
One day, Jesus was teaching, and many Pharisees and teachers of the law had come from every part of Galilee and Judea, and even from Jerusalem. They were sitting there, while the power of the Lord was at work to heal the sick. Then some men brought a paralyzed man who lay on his mat. They tried to enter the house to place him before Jesus, but they couldn’t find a way through the crowd. So they went up on the roof, and, removing the tiles, they lowered him on his mat into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “My friend, your sins are forgiven.” At once the teachers of the law and the Pharisees began to wonder, “This man insults God! Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” But Jesus knew their thoughts and asked them, “Why are you reacting like this? Which is easier to say: ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or ‘Get up and walk’? Now you shall know, that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” And Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat, and go home.” At once, the man stood before them. He took up the mat he had been lying on, and went home praising God. Amazement seized the people and they praised God. They were filled with holy fear, and said, “What wonderful things we have seen today!””
Today’s Reflection:
“Our God will come to save us.” Today’s responsorial psalm echoes the expectation of the chosen people of God for the coming of the Messiah. The reality that such a Messiah was in fact God Himself adds a different level of intensity to this event in salvation history. God will not only send an angel, a messenger, or an emissary to save mankind. He himself will save us. He is our
savior. This is what we celebrate every Christmas.
On the other hand, the healing of the paralytic in today’s gospel reminds us of Jesus’ desire to not only heal us of our bodily infirmities but most importantly to forgive our sins to bring peace to our souls. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI summarized this thought during his February 19, 2006 Angelus address at the Vatican, “Human beings, paralyzed by sin, need God’s mercy which Christ came to give to them so that, their hearts healed, their whole life might flourish anew.” / Vulnerasti, 2023
