The Holy Priest-Martyr Cyprian; the Holy Martyr Justina; and the Holy Andrew, Fool for the Sake of Christ
1 Corinthians 15:58-16:3; Luke 5:17-26
Read Luke 5:17-26
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
In the context of our current pandemic, our healthcare system is getting more attention than it has received before. Questions of adequacy, hospital beds and staffing are all being raised and worried about during this time.
A similar worry is shared by the friends of the paralytic also. In our gospel lesson today we see these recognizing the need not just for their friend to hear Christ speak, but to meet Him and receive healing from Him. Refusing to stay on the sidelines, they take matters into their own hands and dismantle the roof. They know that the doctor is in, and that their friend needs healing- both physically and spiritually- and so they go where help can be found.
How about us? Is our first impulse to retreat into our hearts where we are alone with Christ to receive His healing and forgiveness, or do we rely on other sources to comfort us or mask our problems? Do we bring others to the Lord for forgiveness either by bringing them physically to the Church or by bringing the Lord’s loving correction to them?
St. Ambrose, in commenting on this passage writes:
You who judge, learn to excuse! You who are sick, learn to accomplish. If you do not trust in the forgiveness of grave sinners, call intercessors, call the church who will pray for you. Because of his regard for the church, the Lord forgives what he may refuse you. And although we must not neglect the faith in the narrative, so that we may indeed believe that the body of the paralytic was healed, we must also acknowledge the healing of the inner man whose sins are forgiven. (Exposition of the Gospel of Luke, 5.11-12)