Fr. Rick’s One Minute Homily for Friday, 1st Week in Ordinary Time

January 17, 2025, Mark 2:1-12

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/011725.cfm

Strange How No One Helped Him.

We go out of our way to help people with disabilities. It may seem strange to us that people in today’s Gospel would not let the paralytic see Jesus. In the Mediterranean mindset, people would have nothing to do with the person with paralysis.

Paralysis or any illness results from personal sin; no one can do anything about that, so why bother with the person with paralysis? Ignore him.

The friends who carried him to Jesus demonstrated a profound compassion. They didn’t judge him. They brought him to Jesus. Neither did Jesus ignore him. One of God’s children was hurting, and Jesus would not let that continue.

He healed the whole person, body, and soul. His mercy was not limited to physical healing. He did not sit in judgment of the man. We must ask ourselves, who is the most helpless: the man who couldn’t walk or the people who couldn’t move from judgment to mercy?

Gospel Challenge:

It is time to actively seek forgiveness for our sins and ask the Lord for the light of the Holy Spirit to reveal how we sit in the judgment of other people.

Please, God, His mercy in us will help us open the doorways of our Church as wide as the Lord opens our hearts. His mercy, which we receive through forgiveness and compassion, should guide our actions and interactions with others.

Love Your Neighbor:
Please join me in praying for all baptized Catholics to be faithful to Jesus in the Holy Mass every weekend. Hail Mary, full of grace…

Mother Mary, “I am yours now and forever. Through you and with you, I always want to belong completely to Jesus.” The Surrender Novena – InHeartland. https://inheartland.com/pages/the-surrender-novena

Peace be with you.

Fr. Rick Pilger, I.C.
pastor@bscchurch.com