Mark 2:1-12

Hebrews 4:1-5, 11

Psalm 78:3 &4bc, 6c-7, 8

Mark 2:1-12

When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days,

it became known that he was at home.

Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them,

not even around the door,

and he preached the word to them.

They came 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.”

Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves,

“Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming.

Who but God alone can forgive sins?”

Jesus immediately knew in his mind what 

they were thinking to themselves, 

so he said, “Why are you thinking such things in your hearts?

Which is easier, to say to the paralytic,

‘Your sins are forgiven,’

or to say, ‘Rise, pick up your mat and walk’?

But that you may know

that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth”

–he said to the paralytic,

“I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home.”

He rose, picked up his mat at once, 

and went away in the sight of everyone.

They were all astounded

and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, allow me to experience again the newness of what you have done through the sending of your Son into the world. Do not let me take the grace received in baptism for granted, or be indifferent to the communion I experience with you in the Eucharist.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The First Conflict: Chapter Two in Mark’s Gospel signals a change in the narrative. The “bad guys,” so to speak, are introduced. Chapter One was breathless in narrating one success after another. Jesus taught, healed, and exorcised demons and the people responded to him with faith in his authority and power. Today, we hear of the first opposition to Jesus and his ministry. Jesus returned to Capernaum, to the house of Simon and Andrew, after having traveled around all of Galilee, having preached in the synagogues, and having driven out demons. Many gathered in and around the house in Capernaum to hear Jesus’ preaching. Four men brought a paralytic to Jesus and had to break through the roof of the house to get to Jesus. On seeing the faith of the four men, Jesus responds first not by healing the physical paralysis but by forgiving the spiritual paralysis caused by sin.

2. The Authority of the Son of Man: Instead of believing in Jesus like the four men, the scribes immediately begin to think that Jesus is blaspheming. They know that only God has the power to forgive sins. And if Jesus claims he can do what God alone can do, then he is implicitly claiming to be God. Mark lets us know not only that Jesus is divine because of his power over sickness and demons, but also because Jesus knows the inner thoughts of those around him. God alone knows the human heart, and Jesus manifests this same knowledge. Jesus then performs the miracle of healing to show that he possesses the divine authority to forgive sins. When Jesus says, “Your sins are forgiven,” this is not just lip service or a false claim. If Jesus can forgive physical paralysis, then it is a sign that he can forgive spiritual paralysis and even give this power to forgive sins to his apostles, the successors of the apostles, and the priestly coworkers of these successors.

3. Entering into God’s Rest: The Letter to the Hebrews continues drawing a parallel between the story of the Exodus and our story as Christians. The author notes that the promise of entering into God’s rest remains. The people of the Exodus generation did not enjoy the physical rest offered in the promised land. Even when they entered the land under the leadership of Joshua, they still had to do battle with the pagan peoples who inhabited the land. Only under David, who finished the conquest of Canaan, and Solomon, who built the Temple, did the people experience a partial fulfillment of enjoying divine rest. This period of peace, however, was short-lived. Only through Jesus – who is the New Moses, the New Joshua, the New David, and the New Solomon – are we able to enter into divine rest. We do this through faith: “For we who believed enter into that rest” (Hebrews 4:3). Faith and obediential love go hand in hand. The people of Israel received the Good News of salvation but did not enter into divine rest “because of [their] disobedience.” In these last times, we are encouraged to hear and heed God’s voice and harden not our hearts. Ultimately, Joshua was unable to give the people the promised divine rest, and “a sabbath rest still remains for the people of God” (Hebrews 4:9). We are able, through Jesus, to enjoy that rest, especially on the Lord’s Day, which is a sharing in and an anticipation of the eternal rest in the heavenly Promised Land.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, bring me into the heavenly Promised Land so that I may taste the fruit of the Tree of Life and experience the cleansing power of your gracious mercy. Grant me a share in the divine life and rest you promise.

Living the Word of God: Am I ever like the scribes, who instead of seeing the good others do, constantly criticize and tend to look for the negative to bring others down? How can I imitate the four men who bring the paralytic to Jesus despite the obstacles? Who are those suffering from spiritual paralysis in my life? How can I best help them?