L'Evangile dans ma vie/ The Gospel in my life

Texte de l'Évangile

(Mc 3,13-19): 

Jésus gravit la montagne, et il appela ceux qu'il voulait. Ils vinrent auprès de lui, et il en institua douze pour qu'ils soient avec lui, et pour les envoyer prêcher avec le pouvoir de chasser les esprits mauvais. Donc, il institua les Douze: Pierre (c'est le nom qu'il donna à Simon), Jacques, fils de Zébédée, et Jean, le frère de Jacques (il leur donna le nom de "Boanerguès", c'est-à-dire: "Fils du tonnerre"), André, Philippe, Barthélemy, Matthieu, Thomas, Jacques fils d'Alphée, Thaddée, Simon le Zélote, et Judas Iscariote, celui-là même qui le livra.

L’Application

L’invitation n’est pas que pour l’annonce de l’Evangile, mais essentiellement à être avec Jésus, en Jésus et par Jésus. C’est en se configurant en Jésus, l’homme se transforme et il sera capable de pouvoir annoncer la Parole dignement et aussi correctement. « Venez et vous verrez », « demeurez en moi », nous montrent l’importance de cette invitation. Sans qu’on ne soit avec Jésus, nous ne pouvons jamais Le découvrir. Cette invitation reste encore valable et désormais, elle restera éternellement ouverte.  

«Jésus gravit la montagne, et il appela ceux qu'il voulait»

Abbé Llucià POU i Sabater 
(Granada, Espagne)

Aujourd'hui, l'Evangile résume la théologie de la vocation chrétienne: le Seigneur choisit ceux qu'Il veut pour qu'ils restent avec Lui et pour en faire des apôtres (cf. Mc 3,13-14). En premier lieu, Il les choisit: avant la création du monde, il nous a destinés à devenir saints (cf. Ef 1,4). Il nous aime à travers le Christ, et il nous modèle par son intermédiaire en nous donnant des vertus pour être ses enfants. C'est seulement en ayant en vue la vocation que l'on comprend nos vertus; la vocation est le "rôle" qu'il nous a donné dans la rédemption. C'est en découvrant l'intime "pourquoi" de mon existence que je me sens pleinement "moi", quand je vis ma vocation.

Et pourquoi nous a-t-il appelés? Pour que nous soyons avec Lui. Cet appel implique une réponse: «Un jour —je ne veux pas généraliser, ouvre ton cœur au Seigneur et raconte-lui ton histoire—, peut-être qu'un ami, un chrétien ordinaire comme toi, t'as fait découvrir un panorama profond et nouveau, même s'il est aussi vieux que l'Evangile. Il t'a suggéré que tu pouvais t'appliquer sérieusement à suivre le Christ, à devenir un apôtre des apôtres. A ce moment-là, tu as peut-être perdu la tranquillité et tu ne l'as retrouvée, convertie en paix, qu'après avoir répondu à Dieu librement, parce que tu en as eu envie —ce qui est la raison la plus surnaturelle—. Et la joie est venue, forte et constante, une joie qui disparaît seulement quand tu t'écartes de Lui» (Saint Joseph Marie).

C'est un don mais c'est aussi une tâche: la sainteté par l'intermédiaire de la prière et des sacrements et, de plus, c'est une lutte personnelle. «Tous les fidèles quels que soient leur état et leurs conditions de vie sont appelés à la plénitude de la vie chrétienne et à la perfection de la charité, de la sainteté qui, même dans la société terrestre, encourage un mode de vie plus humain» (Concile Vatican II).

Ainsi, nous pouvons sentir la mission apostolique: amener le Christ aux autres; l'avoir avec nous et l'amener. Aujourd'hui, nous pouvons prêter davantage attention à l'appel, et perfectionner notre réponse d'amour.

Texte de l'Évangile (Mc 3,7-12): 

Jésus se retira avec ses disciples au bord du lac; et beaucoup de gens, venus de la Galilée, le suivirent; et aussi beaucoup de gens de Judée, de Jérusalem, d'Idumée, de Transjordanie, et de la région de Tyr et de Sidon avaient appris tout ce qu'il faisait, et ils vinrent à lui. Il dit à ses disciples de tenir une barque à sa disposition pour qu'il ne soit pas écrasé par la foule. Car il avait fait beaucoup de guérisons, si bien que tous ceux qui souffraient de quelque mal se précipitaient sur lui pour le toucher. Et lorsque les esprits mauvais le voyaient, ils se prosternaient devant lui et criaient: «Tu es le Fils de Dieu!». Mais il leur défendait vivement de le faire connaître.

«Beaucoup de gens de Judée, de Jérusalem, d'Idumée, de Transjordanie, et de la région de Tyr et de Sidon»

Abbé Melcior QUEROL i Solà 
(Ribes de Freser, Girona, Espagne)

Gospel text (Mc 3,1-6): 

Again Jesus entered the synagogue. A man who had a paralyzed hand was there and some people watched Jesus: Would he heal the man on the sabbath? If he did they could accuse him. Jesus said to the man with the paralyzed hand, «Stand here in the center». Then he asked them, «What does the Law allow us to do on the sabbath? To do good or to do harm? To save life or to kill?». But they were silent. Then Jesus looked around at them with anger and deep sadness because they had closed their minds. And he said to the man, «Stretch out your hand». He stretched it out and his hand was healed. But as soon as the Pharisees left, they met with Herod's supporters, looking for a way to destroy Jesus.

The Application

To live this gospel today, I would propose to you all three approach and choose among them what is best for the day.

The first is the simplicity of Jesus. They were well aware that Jesus will heal the sick and Jesus didn’t disappoint them. Let our life be simple like Jesus and let us not hide our emotions and feelings. Let us learn to be ourselves without shame and fame, accepting ourselves as we are. This simplicity will give us lot of freedom, not only to us, but also for others to adopt themselves with us.

The second aspect would be the way Jesus acts and his refusal to reacts. He was pushed by the external movements or the behaviours of others. He faces them courageously without judging them. At the same time he is inviting them to enter into their interiority to find out the best way to act in a given situation. Should we do good and evil and the response is clear and net.

The third aspect is related to the second. Why should we stop doing the good deeds because of negative approach of our adversaries?  Our good deeds should continue in spite of opposition. We are good and called to be good at every moment of life. Jesus is our model and our reasoning should be with Jesus and Jesus alone, in accomplishing the will of the Father.

Daily Quote from the early church fathers:

 The tender compassion of the Lord, by John Chrysostom, 547-407 A.D.

"Jesus said to the man with the withered hand, 'Come here.' Then he challenged the Pharisees as to whether it would be lawful to do good on the sabbath. Note the tender compassion of the Lord when he deliberately brought the man with the withered hand right into their presence (Luke 6:8). He hoped that the mere sight of the misfortune might soften them, that they might become a little less spiteful by seeing the affliction, and perhaps out of sorrow mend their own ways. But they remained callous and unfeeling. They preferred to do harm to the name of Christ than to see this poor man made whole. They betrayed their wickedness not only by their hostility to Christ, but also by their doing so with such contentiousness that they treated with disdain his mercies to others." (excerpt from THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 40.1)

«What does the Law allow us to do on the sabbath? To do good or to do harm? To save life or to kill?»

Fr. Joaquim MESEGUER García 
(Sant Quirze del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain)

Today, Jesus tells us we must always do good: there is no such thing as a time to do good and a time to overlook our love for others. The love we get through God brings us to the supreme Law, Jesus left with us, in the new commandment: «Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another» (Jn 13:34). Jesus neither repeals nor criticizes Moses' Law, inasmuch as He is the first one to comply with its precepts and go to the synagogue on the Sabbath; what Jesus criticizes is the narrow minded version of the Law by its masters and the Pharisees, an interpretation leaving little room for mercy. 

Jesus Christ has come to proclaim the Gospel of salvation, but his antagonists, far from being convinced, seek all kind of pretexts against him: «A man who had a paralyzed hand was there and some people watched Jesus: Would He heal the man on the Sabbath? If He did they could accuse him.» (Mk 3:1-2). At the same time as we witness the power of grace, we also see how hardhearted, those boastful men who though they had the truth on their side, were. Were those Pharisees joyful upon realizing that poor man had been cured hand? Certainly not, rather on the contrary, they were even more blinded, to the point of rushing to make a deal with Herod's supporters —their natural foes— looking for a way to destroy Jesus. Some alliance!

With his action, Jesus also removes the chains with which the masters of the Law and the Pharisees had constrained the Sabbath while conferring it its true meaning: the day of communion between God and man, the day of liberation from slavery, the day of salvation from evil forces. Saint Augustin tells us: «He who has peace in the conscience, is peaceful, and this very peace is his heart's Sabbath». With Jesus Christ, the Sabbath already opens up to the gift of Sunday.

Texte de l'Évangile

(Mc 3,1-6): 

Une autre fois, Jésus entra dans une synagogue; il y avait là un homme dont la main était paralysée. On observait Jésus pour voir s'il le guérirait le jour du sabbat; on pourrait ainsi l'accuser. Il dit à l'homme qui avait la main paralysée: «Viens te mettre là devant tout le monde». Et s'adressant aux autres: «Est-il permis, le jour du sabbat, de faire le bien, ou de faire le mal? de sauver une vie, ou de tuer?». Mais ils se taisaient. Alors, promenant sur eux un regard de colère, navré de l'endurcissement de leurs coeurs, il dit à l'homme: «Étends la main». Il l'étendit, et sa main redevint normale. Une fois sortis, les pharisiens se réunirent avec les partisans d'Hérode contre Jésus, pour voir comment le faire périr.

L’Application

Je voudrais vous inviter à regarder la ‘Personne’ Jésus. Un homme simple sans aucune complication et tous ceux et celles qui l’a observaient,  savaient déjà son comportement. Heureusement ils ne sont pas déçus. Pouvons d’être une personne sans complication ?

Le deuxième aspect que vous propose est la manière donc Jésus confronte ses adversaires. Il n’est pas là pour leur répondre. Il renvoi la question vers eux, pour qu’ils eux-mêmes découvrent leur propre intériorités et leurs intentions mauvaises. Pouvons-nous apprendre à agir comme Jésus et à éviter à réagir ?

Le troisième  est très important. N’arrêtons jamais les œuvres bonnes. Il faut savoir continuer les bonnes actions, malgré les échecs que nous pouvons avoir dans le chemin suivant fidèlement les pas de Jésus.

«Est-il permis, le jour du sabbat, de faire le bien, ou de faire le mal? de sauver une vie, ou de tuer?»

Abbé Joaquim MESEGUER García 
(Sant Quirze del Vallès, Barcelona, Espagne)

Aujourd'hui, Jésus nous enseigne qu'il faut faire le bien en tout temps: il n'y a pas un temps pour faire le bien et un autre pour négliger l'amour du prochain. L'amour qui vient de Dieu nous conduit à la Loi suprême, que Jésus nous a laissée dans le commandement nouveau: «Aimez-vous les uns les autres comme je vous ai aimé» (Jn 13,34). Jésus ne déroge pas à la Loi de Moïse, Il ne la critique pas, puisque Lui-même accomplit ses préceptes et se rend à la synagogue le sabbat; ce que Jésus critique, c'est l'interprétation étroite de la Loi qu'en ont fait les docteurs et les pharisiens, une interprétation qui laisse peu de place à la miséricorde.

Jésus-Christ est venu proclamer l'Évangile du salut, mais ses adversaires, loin de se laisser convaincre, cherchent des prétextes contre Lui: «Il y avait là un homme dont la main était paralysée. On observait Jésus pour voir s'il le guérirait le jour du sabbat; on pourrait ainsi l'accuser» (Mc 3,1-2). Nous pouvons voir l'action de la grâce et, simultanément, constater la dureté de coeur d'hommes orgueilleux qui croient détenir la vérité. Les pharisiens furent-ils contents de voir ce pauvre homme récupérer la santé? Non, tout au contraire, ils s'aveuglèrent encore davantage, au point d'aller pactiser avec les hérodiens -leurs ennemis naturels- pour voir comment perdre Jésus. Curieuse alliance!

Par son action, Jésus libère aussi le sabbat des entraves posées par les docteurs de la Loi et les pharisiens, et lui restitue son sens véritable: jour de communion entre Dieu et l'homme, jour de libération de l'esclavage, jour de la délivrance des forces du mal. Saint Augustin nous dit: «Celui qui a la conscience en paix est tranquille, et cette tranquillité est le sabbat du coeur». En Jésus-Christ, le sabbat s'ouvre déjà au don du dimanche.

Texte de l'Évangile (Mc 2,23-28): 

Un jour de sabbat, Jésus marchait à travers les champs de blé; et ses disciples, chemin faisant, se mirent à arracher des épis. Les pharisiens lui disaient: «Regarde ce qu'ils font le jour du sabbat! Cela n'est pas permis». Jésus leur répond: «N'avez-vous jamais lu ce que fit David, lorsqu'il fut dans le besoin et qu'il eut faim, lui et ses compagnons? Au temps du grand prêtre Abiathar, il entra dans la maison de Dieu et mangea les pains de l'offrande que seuls les prêtres peuvent manger, et il en donna aussi à ses compagnons». Il leur disait encore: «Le sabbat a été fait pour l'homme, et non pas l'homme pour le sabbat. Voilà pourquoi le Fils de l'homme est maître, même du sabbat».

«Le sabbat a été fait pour l'homme, et non pas l'homme pour le sabbat»

Abbé Ignasi FABREGAT i Torrents 
(Terrassa, Barcelona, Espagne)

Gospel text

(Mc 2,18-22): 

One day, when the disciples of John the Baptist and the Pharisees were fasting, some people asked Jesus, «Why is it that both the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but yours do not?». Jesus answered, «How can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. But the day will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them and on that day they will fast.

»No one sews a piece of new cloth on an old coat, because the new patch will shrink and tear away from the old cloth, making a worse tear. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins, for the wine would burst the skins and then both the wine and the skins would be lost. But new wine, new skins!».

The Application

Most of us are taught to be politically correct and do exactly what all others are doing. What is normal and correct, as established by the society, is what is expected from us. Today Jesus is teaching another lesson, which is the heart of every act and thinking.

We are asked not to follow the tradition simply because it exists, rather, put our intelligence and be totally responsible for our acts and thinking. He gives the reason why his disciple won’t do the fasting today and they will certainly do one day.

Jesus seems to teach us the humility to listen to the Word of God and do all that the Lord asks us today. We are called to perfection in every deed, with conviction and certitude. It is good to mix up things, putting everything in confusion. We need some clarity in our thinking and coherence in our act. Jesus is reminding us a very important lesson that we are unique and not called to be just like others. Let us have the joy of being different.

Daily Quote from the early church fathers: 

The presence of the Bridegroom, by Bede the Venerable, 672-735 A.D.

"From the time that the incarnation of our Saviour was first promised to the patriarchs, it was always awaited by many upright souls with tears and mourning - until he came. From that time when, after his resurrection, he ascended to heaven, all the hope of the saints hangs upon his return. It was at the time when he was keeping company with humanity that his presence was to be celebrated. Then it would have been unfitting to weep and mourn. For like the bride, she had him with her bodily whom she loved spiritually. Therefore the bridegroom is Christ, the bride is the church, and the friends of the bridegroom (Matthew 9:15, Luke 5:34) and of the marriage are each and every one of his faithful companions. The time of his marriage is that time when, through the mystery of the incarnation, he is joining the holy church to himself (Revelation 19:7). Thus it was not by chance, but for the sake of a certain mystical meaning that he came to a marriage ceremony on earth in the customary fleshly way (John 2:1-12), since he descended from heaven to earth in order to wed the church to himself in spiritual love. His nuptial chamber was the womb of his virgin mother. There God was conjoined with human nature. From there he came forth like a bridegroom to join the church to himself." (excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 1.14) 

«How can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?»

Fr. Joaquim VILLANUEVA i Poll 
(Barcelona, Spain)

Today, we can see that, besides fasting on the Day of Atonement (cf. Lev 16:29-34), the Jewish people observe many other days of fasting, both public and private. Days of fast manifested mourning, penance, purification, preparation for a feast or a mission, demand of God's grace, etc. Pious Jews considered fasting an act of virtue of their religion which pleased God. One who fasts addresses God in an attitude of humility; he implores forgiveness for his separation from God while depriving himself of those things that often cause the separation.

That Jesus does not instill this practice into his disciples and followers comes as a surprise for John's disciples and for the Pharisees. They cannot understand it. But Jesus gives them a fundamental reason: «How can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?» (Mk 2:19). For Israel's prophets, the bridegroom signifies God himself, faithful Yahweh, and his divine love for men (in contrast to Israel, his not always so faithful spouse). Hence, Jesus is tantamount to Yahweh, and He here declares his divinity: he calls his disciples «the bridegroom's friends», and those who are with him do not need to fast for they are not separated from him.

The Church has remained faithful to Christ's teaching on fasting which, though coming from the prophets and even being a natural and spontaneous practice in many religions, our Lord confirms with a new meaning. Fasting can be used as preparation; it strengthens prayer and contemplation. Jesus fasts in the desert as a preparation for his public life.

Many poor people, not unacquainted with shabby clothes were among those who listened to our Lord. So too were vintners who certainly knew what happens when the new wine is put into old wineskins. Jesus reminds them all that they have to receive his message with a new spirit, one that breaks with conformity and the routines of jaded souls; Jesus proposes something entirely different, not another version of the Law, but a new life altogether.

Texte de l'Évangile

(Mc 2,18-22): 

Comme les disciples de Jean Baptiste et les pharisiens jeûnaient, on vient demander à Jésus: «Pourquoi tes disciples ne jeûnent-ils pas, comme les disciples de Jean et ceux des pharisiens?». Jésus répond: «Les invités de la noce pourraient-ils donc jeûner, pendant que l'Époux est avec eux? Tant qu'ils ont l'Époux avec eux, ils ne peuvent pas jeûner. Mais un temps viendra où l'Époux leur sera enlevé: ce jour-là ils jeûneront.

»Personne ne raccommode un vieux vêtement avec une pièce d'étoffe neuve; autrement la pièce neuve tire sur le vieux tissu et le déchire davantage. Ou encore, personne ne met du vin nouveau dans de vieilles outres; autrement la fermentation fait éclater les outres, et l'on perd à la fois le vin et les outres. A vin nouveau, outres neuves».

L’Application

Par apparence nous pouvons avoir une impression que Jésus ne respecte pas la tradition. En vérité, il ne pose qu’une question essentielle : pourquoi jeûner ? Il nous dit qu’un jour ses disciples, eux aussi comme les autres vont jeûner et Il donne la raison.

Comment pouvons appliquer cet évangile?  Il foi doit se fonder non pas dans l’ignorance, mais dans la raison profonde. Nous ne devons rien faire parce que les autres le font, mais, il faut prendre la responsabilité de toute action commise par nous. Nous devons d’être capables de dire, raisonnablement, pourquoi on l’a fait et pourquoi on ne l’a pas fait.

Jésus nous déconseille le ‘fast-food’ en disant, ce n’est pas bon pour la santé. Il faut bien le préparer, comme il faut. Ce n’est bon de tout mélanger dans notre vie quotidienne. Il faut avoir une claire vision et une netteté dans notre pensée et dans notre acte.

«Les invités de la noce pourraient-ils donc jeûner, pendant que l'Époux est avec eux?»

Abbé Joaquim VILLANUEVA i Poll 
(Barcelona, Espagne)

Aujourd'hui, nous constatons comment les juifs, au-delà du jeûne prescrit par Dieu le Jour de l'Expiation (cf. Lev 16,29-34) observaient plusieurs autres jeûnes, autant publics que privés. Ils étaient l'expression de deuil, de pénitence, de purification, de préparation pour une fête ou une mission, de pétition de grâce à Dieu, etc. Les juifs pieux appréciaient le jeûne comme un acte propre de la vertu de la religion et plaisant à Dieu: celui qui jeûne se dirige à Dieu en attitude d'humilité, lui demande pardon en se privant de ces choses qui, le satisfaisant, l'auraient éloignées de Lui. 

Que Jésus n'inculque pas cette pratique à ces disciples et à ceux qui l'écoutaient, surprend les disciples de Jean et les pharisiens. Ils pensent qu'il s'agit d'une omission importante dans ses enseignements. Et Jésus leur donne une raison fondamentale: «Les invités de la noce pourraient-ils donc jeûner, pendant que l'Époux est avec eux?» (Mc 2,19). L'époux, selon l'expression des prophètes d'Israël, est Dieu, et est manifestation de l'amour divin envers les hommes (Israël est l'épouse, qui n'est pas toujours fidèle, objet de l'amour fidèle de l'époux, Yahvé). C'est-à-dire, Jésus se compare à Yahvé. Il est ici, déclarant sa divinité: il appelle ses disciples "les amis de la noce", ceux qui sont avec Lui, et donc qui n’ont pas besoin de jeûner car ils ne sont pas séparés de Lui.

L'Église est demeurée fidèle à cet enseignement qui vient des prophètes et constitue une pratique naturelle et spontanée dans plusieurs religions. Jésus-Christ la confirme et lui donne en sens nouveau: Il jeûne dans le désert comme préparation à sa vie publique, Il nous dit que la prière est fortifiée par le jeûne, etc.

Parmi ceux qui écoutaient le Seigneur, la majorité devait être pauvre et savoir de vêtements raccommodés; il devait aussi y avoir des vendangeurs qui savaient ce qui se passe lorsqu'on met du vin nouveau dans de vieilles outres. Jésus leur rappelle qu'ils doivent recevoir son message avec un esprit nouveau, qui rompt avec le conformisme et la routine des âmes vieillies prématurément, que ce qu'Il leur propose, n'est pas une interprétation de la Loi, sinon une vie nouvelle.

We are entering in to the second ordinary Sunday of the year, with the theme, ‘call ' or ‘vocation’. God invites us to participate in his mission, particularly to establish his Kingdom on earth. Very often, God does it personally and individually, yet for a community mission.  One person is chosen among the many for the whole community. All of us have received a mission, right from the beginning of our existence, particularly the day of our baptism, when we have openly accepted that Jesus is our saviour and have became members of His Church.  This mission, we can say it, personalized, given to us according to our capacity, and if needed, a particular grace is added.  

Many of us don’t realize this truth. It is quite possible that we have not yet recognized that voice calling us, like this little boy, Samuel. He was wise, he ran to the high priest, fortunately with trials and error, this high priest could guide this little boy. Samuel learned to speak to the Lord.  Unfortunately for us, like the others, we do not hear it. Why do some hear this divine call, and why not others?

The answer is in the second reading. All who hear this voice are those who have recognized the divine dwelling place among men. As Mother Theresa, who was able to see Christ in the suffering of humanity,  we have plenty of holy people who did hear this call and responded positively.  These people became the ambassadors of the Lord, in their words and deeds.  They first heard this voice in their interiority and were able to associate to the exteriority.  And, God has made them able to put this Word into practice. God has given such power to this little boy who will tell this high priest Eli that God will punish you with your children, even though  he saw Eli as a saint.

Saint Paul reminds us that we are the dwelling place of God and we have an obligation to keep his home in a dignified manner. We must look at all that God has already given us, particularly the holiness. In Jesus, we became God's adopted sons and daughters, and through this adoption we inherited this look from God. John looks at Jesus and proclaims, "This is the Lamb of God. Jesus looks at John's disciples and invites them to live with him, to listen to him, to discover in Him the Christ, the Saviour.

To follow the Lord is to move from here to ......... a place that the Lord tells us, it is to empty ourselves to be filled by the Lord, it is to listen to fulfil what it is listened, it is to surrender oneself before the divine goodness and to enrich oneself, etc. This process of life transforms us and makes us a missionary who invites others to follow the Lord. That's exactly what Andrew, Simon's brother did. 'We have seen the Messiah' Jesus will look at Simon and this look will transform him, from Simon to Peter. Every encounter transforms us, especially when it is divine.

As Christians, we can have two linds of approach to life. The first one is that of Samuel's and John's disciples. They didn’t have the answer, they approached the right person. They were basically seeks of divine truth and accomplishers of divine will. Jesus will certainly will ask them, "What are you looking for?, and certainly they will have the answer. The second approach is that of  Eli, John the Baptist and that of Jesus. They have the truth and they lead others, they help them and invite others. As Christians we can pray to the Lord by saying, Lord you have called us to be the seeks of divine will and at the same time like Andrew you wishes that we invite others to cooperate in the accomplishment of this divine will. Give us the grace to be seeks and be a faithful missionaries.

God bless you all. Have a wonderful Sunday.

Texte de l'Évangile (Mc 2,13-17): 

Jésus sortit de nouveau sur le rivage du lac; toute la foule venait à lui, et il les instruisait. En passant, il aperçut Lévi, fils d'Alphée, assis à son bureau de publicain (collecteur d'impôts). Il lui dit: «Suis-moi». L'homme se leva et le suivit. Comme il était à table dans sa maison, beaucoup de publicains et de pécheurs vinrent prendre place avec Jésus et ses disciples, car il y avait beaucoup de monde. Même les scribes du parti des pharisiens le suivaient aussi, et, voyant qu'il mangeait avec les pécheurs et les publicains, ils disaient à ses disciples: «Il mange avec les publicains et les pécheurs!». Jésus, qui avait entendu, leur déclara: «Ce ne sont pas les gens bien portants qui ont besoin du médecin, mais les malades. Je suis venu appeler non pas les justes, mais les pécheurs».

«Je suis venu appeler non pas les justes, mais les pécheurs»

Abbé Joaquim MONRÓS i Guitart 
(Tarragona, Espagne)

Gospel text

(Mc 2,1-12): 

Jesus returned to Capernaum. As the news spread that he was at home, so many people gathered that there was no longer room even outside the door.

While Jesus was preaching the Word to them, some people brought a paralyzed man to him. The four men who carried him couldn't get near Jesus because of the crowd, so they opened the roof above the room where Jesus was and, through the hole, lowered the man on his mat. When Jesus saw the faith of these people, he said to the paralytic, «My son, your sins are forgiven».

Now, some teachers of the Law who were sitting there wondered within themselves, «How can he speak like this insulting God? Who can forgive sins except God?».

At once Jesus knew through his spirit what they were thinking and asked, «Why do you wonder? Is it easier to say to this paralyzed man: ‘Your sins are forgiven’, or to say: ‘Rise, take up your mat and walk?’ But now you shall know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins». And he said to the paralytic, «Stand up, take up your mat and go home». 

The man rose and, in the sight of all those people, he took up his mat and went out. All of them were astonished and praised God saying, «We have never seen anything like this!».

The Application

Many at times we have an impression that our prayers are not heard. Even today, this can be an example. People brought this man for a simple physical healing. Whereas Jesus is proposing a spiritual healing, which is more important than what is visible. This inner healing will lead this person to the external healing and many of us and even the people who brought this person to Jesus were simply ignorant. Are we still ignorant in our judgement………………..?

The second aspect which is very important as a Christian is, the pardon. Without being able to reconcile with God and with our brothers and sisters, we can’t receive the healing that God propose to us daily. This pardon is the first step towards happiness and joy. Many of us are not able to be fully liberated and joyful, because we refuse to forgive. Some of us are not able to and others simply don’t wish to. Jesus seems to remind us this importance of getting reconciled with God.

For our daily application, I would like  to invite you all to play the role of every personages available in today’s gospel.

Jesus: the capacity to see the invisible needs of others and not to be animated by the crowd psychology. All say, then it should be right………;;(Jesus rejects)

The people: available to the need of the sick person and take the risk to reach the person to Jesus. They glorify the Lord.  

The elites: Simply fixed to the rules and regulations. Though outwardly smiling, but internally accusing Jesus.

The sick person and the silent spectators: the simple spiritual consummators without doing anything…………..  

Either these personages may help us to imitate their qualities or a call for a conversion.

Daily Quote from the early church fathers: 

Reverse your relation with sickness, by Peter Chrysologus (400-450 AD)

"Take up your bed. Carry the very mat that once carried you. Change places, so that what was the proof of your sickness may now give testimony to your soundness. Your bed of pain becomes the sign of healing, its very weight the measure of the strength that has been restored to you." (excerpt from HOMILY 50.6)

«‘My son, your sins are forgiven’ (...). ‘Stand up, take up your mat and go home’»

Fr. Joan Carles MONTSERRAT i Pulido 
(Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain)

Today, we see the Lord surrounded once more by crowds: «so many people gathered that there was no longer room even outside the door» (Mk 2:2). His heart is melted by people's needs and makes him to bestow upon them as much relief as possible; by forgiving, teaching and healing them at the same time. He certainly offers them physical help (as in today's parable, by curing the paralytic), but —actually— He is intent on getting the very best for each one of us: the well-being of our soul.

Jesus, our Savior, wants to give us a true hope of salvation. He even forgives our sins and sympathizes with our moral feebleness. Before anything else, He most emphatically says: «My son, your sins are forgiven» (Mk 2:5). Later on, we are given to see him connecting the remission of our sins —which He generously and tirelessly grants— to a most extraordinary miracle, seen by our very eyes. As some kind of external guarantee, as if to help us to open our eyes to faith, after forgiving the paralytic's sins, He cures him of his paralysis: «Stand up, take up your mat and go home. The man rose and, in the sight of all those people, he took up his mat and went out» (Mk 2:11-12).

We can revive this miracle quite often through Confession. With the words of forgiveness said by the minister of God («I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit») Jesus —discreetly— accords us once more the external guarantee of remission of our sins, guarantee that is tantamount to the spectacular cure of the paralytic of Capernaum.

We are now beginning a new ordinary time. And, we believers are now reminded of the urgent need we have of a sincere and personal encounter with Jesus Christ, the All-Merciful Lord. In this liturgical time, He urges us not to slacken our pace nor to neglect the necessary forgiveness He offers all of us in his dwelling, the Church.