On the 1st. Sunday of the blessed month of Paope the Church reads from the Gospel of Mark2:1-12, in these verses we read the story of Christ healing the paralyzed man in Capernaum. When the Lord had entered Capernaum settled in a house and started preaching the word, many people gathered in and around the house until no one could even enter it. St. Mark records that when these men could not get their paralyzed friend through the crowd into Jesus’ presence, they opened a hole in the roof and lowered their friend down before Christ.
The aggressive, persistent effort of the paralyzed friends was visible evidence of their faith in Christ to heal. In Mark 2:5 we read that when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Seeing the paralyzed man’s faith, as well as the faith and determination of his friends, Jesus remedied the paralyzed’s greatest need, that of spiritual healing.
However, the people were then confused since they believed that only God could forgive sins. Jesus replied and told them “Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” he said to the paralytic “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” Mark 2:8-10.
Here we see that Jesus’ power to heal the paralyzed man proved the truth of the Son of Man’s claim and power to forgive sins. As John Chrysostom said in one of his homilies: The scribes asserted that only God could forgive sins, yet Jesus not only forgave sins but showed that he had also another power that belongs to God alone: the power to disclose the secrets of the heart.
Let us remember that no matter how poor our physical condition, our spiritual well-being must take priority. Our unforgiven sins are more determinantal than unhealed limbs.
Sources
- The Holy Bible- ESV
- Patristic Bible Commentary