Zeal for Souls

Memorial of Saint Anthony, Abbot

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Gospel of Mark 2:1-12

They came to him bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.  Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him.  After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying.  When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him, "Child your sins are forgiven."

No longer room  Imagine you live in Capernaum back in antiquity.  You find out from a friend Jesus is preaching in a nearby home.  You rush over to the house but find out there is no longer room to sit or stand.  Crowds chatter among themselves waiting for Jesus to begin a sermon.  All of the sudden the roof opens up and a paralyzed man drops down to the floor.  What an unexpected event! Interesting before Jesus even lays a healing hand he forgives the paralytic's sins.  Because of this, Jesus is seen as a  blasphemer.  Who else besides God in heaven can forgive sins?  Who is this man?  The people are astounded!   

Do you make room for Jesus in your heart or is your heart over-crowded with sin?   

Your sins are forgiven   It's so important to be aware of God in our lives.  He loves us so much.  He constantly forgives us of our transgressions even if we don't fully recognize them.  No human person is entirely sin free.  (I certainly wish I was...) We are such imperfect beings.  If we were perfect, God wouldn't have a reason to forgive us over and over again.  In our pursuit of holiness, we should recognize our weaknesses and temptations.  Ask God for pity, mercy and forgiveness.  We must be careful not to use our sins as an excuse to push God out of our lives.  

Do you feel the need for God's grace and mercy ? Have you gone to confession lately? Maybe it's a good idea to ask Our Lord for forgiveness!

Zeal for souls  Jesus displayed an intense zeal for the salvation of souls!  He along with his disciples wanted to spread the message of the Kingdom in ways that were inviting, caring, and compassionate. As participants in the new evangelization we should desire to be zealous, too.  Pope Francis in Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel) wrote the following:  

Consequently, an evangelizer must never look like someone who has just come back from a funeral! Let us recover and deepen our enthusiasm, that “delightful and comforting joy of evangelizing, even when it is in tears that we must sow… And may the world of our time, which is searching, sometimes with anguish, sometimes with hope, be enabled to receive the good news not from evangelizers who are dejected, discouraged, impatient or anxious, but from ministers of the Gospel whose lives glow with fervour, who have first received the joy of Christ”.

As Catholic Christians, let us go out and preach the Gospel message in a new and exciting way.  Let us invite people to reconcile with the Lord and with his Church.  Jesus heals those who are paralyzed by fears, anxieties, insecurities, hatred, and despondency.  He nourishes our souls!

-J.