FAITH THAT MOVES THE HEART OF GOD

Faith that Moves the Heart of God. (Mark 2, 1-12)

The mention of the city of Capernaum at the beginning of today’s Gospel by Mark is quite significant. It helps to set the context of his narrative. Capernaum, which means “Village of comfort”, is a city where Jesus preached most of his missions,  accompanied by great signs such as the cure of a demoniac (Mark 1, 21-28), the Cure of Simon’s mother-in-law (Mark 1, 29-31), and many other miraculous healings, including that of a leper. It is evident that Jesus was well-known in Capernaum, explaining why many people were eager to be with him. He embodied the essence of the city’s name, providing not only comfort but also transformation in  people’s lives, both inside and out. Let’s explore how this transformation is reflected in today’s Gospel.

His Message Gladdens the Heart: Jesus preached to people who gathered around him. They found joy in  listening to him because his words carried authority and touched their souls, bringing gladness to their hearts. Jesus communicated not only through words but also through his actions, as we witness in his encounter wit the paralytic brought to him by four men.

Mark  doesn’t identity the four men who carried the paralytic, but we can presume  they were his friends or relatives. They must have heard about Jesus. Their action exemplify selfless love. However, to help their friend, they had to overcome a huge obstacle: the crowd. Unlike Zacheus, who overcame external and internal obstacles (the crowd and his short stature) to see Jesus, (Luke 19, 1-10), these four men had to find a way to reach Jesus. Instead of being discouraged  by the obstacle, they saw it as an opportunity for creativity : “they opened up the roof above Jesus… and let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying.” We witness here  what I call creative faith.

These four men teach us the importance of selfless love, solidarity and creativity in faith.  Each of their presence was necessary to maintain the balance of the mat. As Christians, we are challenged to collaborate with others in assisting those in need,  especially the isolated, handicapped, unloved, etc. Such selfless service requires creativity and endurance.

Jesus heals soul and body: Jesus interpreted the action of the four men as a sign of faith. Thus, he teaches us that faith is always accompanied by action. Their “creative faith”, moved the heart of Jesus. He came to the rescue of the paralytic thanks to the faith of these four men. This teaches us that God can intervene in the lives of others through our faith and actions.

The first message Jesus addressed to the paralytic was  a message of forgiveness: “Child, your sins are forgiven”. By calling him “child” Jesus reminded him of his fundamental identity: he is a child of a merciful God.  The fullness of life that Jesus brings extends beyond physical healing; it is primarily about reconciliation with God, and restoration of the bond between us and God, our Father. Through Jesus, God the Father wants to re-establish heart-to-heart contact with all his children and give them a share in his life through the Holy Spirit.

In his second message to the paralytic Jesus says: “I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home”. He obeyed Jesus’s words,  picked up his mat at once and left in full view of everyone. This teaches us that Obedience to the Word Of God opens up doors to amazing graces and miracles.

 In the light of this narrative, we see that although sins paralyze human life, with Jesus there is the hope of reconciliation, forgiveness, and healing. No matter how deeply wounded lives might have been, today’s Gospel tells us that healing and restoration are possible.