The Unseen Paralysis
All of Jesus’ miracles usually have the same pattern: after the physical healing and the cure, Jesus bids the healed person to go and sin no more. In today’s Gospel, Jesus added a different twist. After the healing of the man who had been paralyzed for 38 years, Jesus said to him, “Do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse may happen to you” (v.15).
Jesus’ statement merely brings out the point that sin is a worse kind of ailment than physical sickness. For indeed, physical illness could cause a physical paralysis. Sin, on the contrary, causes a spiritual paralysis which could very well lead to eternal death of the soul. This is the “something worse” that Jesus was referring to in His encounter with the paralytic. Jesus today gives us a very practical reminder. One serious sin, especially if it remains unrepented, is more serious than any physical illness. The latter could only cause us temporal discomfort; the former, our salvation. Which would you choose?
Once there was a man with three wives. Wife #1 was very loyal and stayed with him through good times and bad. But he did not love her. He ignored her so much she became famished, sickly and ugly. Wife #2, he loved much more, giving her the best food, clothes, comfort and pleasure. Wife #3, he also loved very much. She was his pride and he always presented her to his friends. He was very protective of her.
When he was about to die, he asked Wives 2 and 3 to go with him. They said, “No way!” But Wife #1 volunteered, “I will go with you!” We all have three “spouses” — Wife #1 is our soul. Wife #2 is our body. Wife #3 is our possessions.
Let us love, nourish and take care of Wife #1. It is she who stays with us until eternity. Fr. Joel Jason
REFLECTION QUESTION: How well are you taking care of your soul compared to your body and possessions?
Lord Jesus, grant healing to my soul. Cleanse me of my unrepented sins and lead me back to You.
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