Gospel

From the Gospel according to Luke
Lk 5:17-26

One day as Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there, and the power of the Lord was with him for healing. And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed; they were trying to bring him in and set him in his presence. But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle in front of Jesus.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “As for you, your sins are forgiven.” Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?” Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply, “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 on earth 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. Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and, struck with awe, they said, “We have seen incredible things today.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

We are stretcher bearers.

I wonder about the merits of that paralytic. While others carry him, Jesus forgives him due to the faith of his bearers. Subsequently, He heals the paralytic, intending to impart a lesson to the Pharisees. The beneficiary is the paralytic, who has played no active role. We don’t even know if he had faith. This is the power of intercession. Much like stretcher bearers, we bear the responsibility of guiding married couples. I also let myself be carried by those who love me, especially by my spouse. He/she carries me with his prayers every day before the Lord. I no longer fear or despair because the Lord will not leave me like this; He will not leave me paralyzed. When He sees me before Him in profound need, surely He will have compassion on me, and at His appointed time, He will bring healing. In each confession, He says ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ and I am confident that, at the right time, He will say, ‘Rise, take up your mat, and go home.’ Today, I rest thinking about that day because I know it will come.

Applied to married life.

Josh: Darling, can I ask you a favor?

Anna: How can I help?

Josh: I need you to be my stretcher bearer and for a while focus your prayers and all your faith on asking the Lord to heal me of this sin of pride. It makes me respond poorly to you many times and hurts your sensitive heart.

Anna: Okay. Count on it.

Josh: You won’t forget, will you? Will you do it please?

Anna: Daily and with all my faith, offering all my sacrifices.

Josh: By your faith, the Lord will save me. Thank you, Anna. Praise be to the Lord.

Mother,

The Lord always has compassion on us. I have to have hope, keep fighting, pray, ask others to pray for me… and He will make it possible. He will lift me out of my pits, my darkness, and help my husband out of his. We have to be stretcher bearers for each other. Praise the Lord who never disappoints. Amen.