A Reflection on the Healing of the Paralytic

I randomly read this passage from Luke 5 recently and spent some time reflecting on it.  I invite you to read this familiar story a little slower than you usually might and soak it in.

One day as Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem, and the power of the Lord was with him for healing.  And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed; they were trying to bring him in and set [him] in his presence.  But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle in front of Jesus.  When he saw their faith, he said, “As for you, your sins are forgiven.” Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?”  Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply, “What are you thinking in your hearts?   Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?  But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”  He stood up immediately before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God.  Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and, struck with awe, they said, “We have seen incredible things today.”

Luke 5:17-26

I would like to write what is known as exegesis on this story, which basically means an interpretation or deeper look or creative application of Scripture.  It does not mean that the interpretation given is the only possibly interpretation but simply one way to look at it.

I found myself viewing the friends of the paralytic differently after reading this story tonight.  I realized that these friends had to get creative about how they were going to bring this man into Jesus’ life but more important about how they were going to bring Jesus into this man’s life. They actually got extremely creative and even a little daring.  I mean lowering this guy from the roof?  That’s crazy!  What if they had dropped him?  What if their plan went terribly wrong?  Also, this must have been very distracting and disruptive.  The God of the Universe is trying to teach people and meanwhile some person's body is hovering six feet above His head.  It’s a wild scene once we paint it with a little more detail.  What these friends are revealing to me, especially as a person in ministry, is that I have to be willing to be creative about how I am going to present people to Christ and Christ to people.  Along with that creativity I have to be willing to be bold, courageous, and maybe even daring.  I always have to be willing to take risks and be willing to fail knowing that if I do fail God will help me learn so much through it.  A common thing said to young adults in ministry (most of my friends) is that we cannot change something because the way it is being done is “how it always has been done.”  When we hear that we have to be willing to say, (maybe out loud, maybe just to ourselves) “Well going through the door was once how it had always been done and then some guys decided to come through the roof.”  I am blessed at Seton becasue we have open-minded preists and staff members and I don't have to struggle to try new things.

Another thought that illuminated within me was of the paralytic himself.  I was struck for the first time thinking about the vulnerability of this man.  He had no strength.  He could not move.  He was suspended in air helplessly and in the middle of a crowded house.  We know that the room was full because the passage talks about how people had come from all over and we know that the friends could not even get through the crowd to present the man who was paralyzed to Jesus.  He was lowered “into the middle in front of Jesus” I imagined that moment and it shook me.  I imagined that the man lying on the floor, in the middle of the room moved, possibly the only part of his body that he could move, his eyes, and looked to Jesus for help.  This person is so vulnerable, his body is lifeless, and he is completely exposed in front of others and disposed in front of Jesus.  I imagined that look of desperation, and honestly, I longed to learn how to look to Jesus like that.  How can I completely surrender myself to my God?  How can I be more vulnerable?  How can I realize more fully that all of my strength and life comes from Him?  How am I called to present myself to Jesus in front of others?

Another motivating thing about the healing, is that it is not the bare minimum of a healing.  Sometimes we might hope that God will give us just enough to get by but that is not the case.  God loves us abundantly and provides for us so generously if we are willing to receive all of what He is offering. This paralyzed man did not simple wobble to his feet and barely have the ability to stand.  He went from being motionless to “He stood up immediately before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God.”  So not only can this gentlemen now stand, he can carry a mat that was big and sturdy enough to support a full grown man.  God does not long to make us a little bit stronger or a little bit holier.  God wants to take what is lifeless in our minds, bodies, and souls and give it great strength and vitality.  God wants to transform us in a way that is powerful, not in a way that is unimpressive, un-astonishing, or unimportant.  The key to that transformation happening is simply how we use our free will and if we are willing to surrender everything to God.

Something else that I have noticed in the past is that Jesus did not heal the paralytic at first.  That, apparently, was not at all the most concerning thing for Him.  Jesus healed souls, He forgave sins. Jesus is God and if He thinks that healing the soul is primary compared to healing the body then HE IS RIGHT.  Our physical health and our physical word is not disconnected from the spiritual but we have in many ways disregarded the reality of our spiritual selves.  The bodies we have will die but our souls will never die.  We will receive our bodies again at the resurrection of the body but if we die before the end of time we will exist as simply a spiritual soul until the resurrection occurs.  A body has its health and a soul has its health.  We must be willing to care for our souls and the best way to do that is the reception of the Sacraments and prayer.  The Sacrament of Confession (aka Reconciliation or Penance) is labeled a healing sacrament because it heals our souls.

The last thing I noticed about this story is that it is unclear who’s sins Jesus has even forgiven.  The passage says, “When he saw their faith, he said, “As for you, your sins are forgiven.”  The word “their” means that multiple people were forgiven of their sins.  It seems that by presenting someone else to Jesus these men are forgiven of their sins.  That is consoling as someone who has dedicated their life to such a task.

Community

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish is a special and unique place, anyone that enters our (new) doors notices that we are different then many other parishes.  What makes us different?  Why are we unique?  Why is it that almost every Catholic in the diocese has a reaction of interest when I tell them I work at Seton?  I believe the answer is obvious: our sense of community is what makes us what we are.

American culture today is very individualistic.  In other times and other places there has been greater emphasis put on family, town, neighbors, empire, nation, or world.  We have all of those things and have some respect for them but we also have 50 different colors for any car, laptops made to order, and a trillion clothing options.  Marketing nowadays is always about customizations and personalization.  Now some of this specialization is nice but my fear is that our nation, even American Catholics, have lost a sense of community or worse they never had it.  In my hometown it is a sign of failure if you end up back where you are from.  I grew up in a school system that pitted me against the students around me, in sports and academics it is you versus everyone else.  Catholics should be counter-culture in this regard, focused on others and not on ourselves.  

Community is absolutely essential to religion, especially our religion.  We are the Body of Christ.  That phrase "Body of Christ" gets thrown around a lot but very few people talk about what it means to be The Body of Christ.  At Baptism our bodies and souls are united to Christ's body and soul.  As St. Paul says, "...for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ" (Galatians 3:2).  When one person is Baptized they enter into Christ's Body and His divinity unites with their humanity, which was made possible because Jesus, who is God, became man and united divinity and humanity in Himself when He became human (while remaining God).  So, when one person enters into Christ's Body they are united with all of the other people that have entered Christ and together we form The Body of Christ.  St. Paul addresses this repeatedly in the Bible, he says in Romans, chapter 12, "So in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others."  St. Paul also in Corinthians talks beautifully about how truly united we are through our Baptism, 

"For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink...So that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.  If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it." - 1 Cor. 12:13, 25-26

In an even more shocking way Jesus prays for our unity in the final moments before He is betrayed, "I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one" (John 17:11).   

Jesus prays that we are united in the same way that He and His Father are united!!!  The Son, the Holy Spirit, and the Father are One, completely undivided, as we declare in the creed, "ONE IN BEING WITH THE FATHER."  Jesus prays for us to be that united.  We ARE united in our Baptism and in the Eucharist, that is why we call Eucharist, Holy Communion, because we are being even more fully united through God's Body and Blood as a community.  When we eat Jesus' Body our bond to one another is strengthened and made holy.  How exciting!?!?!  That is why it is so tragic when people miss Mass, when people are not at Mass our Body, our community, is not complete.  The Eucharist is the "source and summit of our faith" (Catholic Catechism) and the Mass is the greatest event of community that has ever existed.  American culture cannot understand the unity we find in the Eucharist because to believe in our invisible bond one must have faith. 

Introduction To The Blog

There are approximately 2,400 families at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish and no matter how hard I try I just cannot seem to find time and opportunity to connect with all of you.  So I had this idea to start a web log (AKA blog) to share more of myself with the parish and allow a new avenue for you to share yourself with me.  I am hoping to write weekly, even if they are short.  Below is my first "post" it is actually an old post from my personal blog but I thought I would share it as a way to introduce myself.  


At the bottom of each blog there is an opportunity to comment.  I would love if you all shared your thoughts or questions with me or you can e-mail me at Daniel.Hoover@Setonparish.net.  Enjoy!

A photo from my trip to Spain

The summer before I started at Notre Dame I spent a month in Spain traveling and walking a 130-mile pilgrimage.  I stated my intention of my trip very clearly to others and myself.  I wanted to let God sweep me off my feet all over again.  He did.  On the trip I had many small epiphanies, the one I enjoyed the most was at the end of my trip as I reflected a bit on my life and on the beauty I had experienced.

I thought about standing high upon the Rocky Mountains in Salt Lake City looking out into a sea of giant snowcapped peaks.  I thought about recently seeing the Alhambra in Granada, Spain, with its amazing architecture, gardens, and fountains.  I remembered the Mayan ruins I saw in Mexico, the ancient stones still sitting so firmly held together.  I thought back to the majesty and power of the Niagara Falls as the water crashed down it sounded like thunder around us.  I thought about the Camino De Santiago (the pilgrimage I had been walking on) and all of the beautiful fields, mountains, plains, and flowers I saw.  As I continued to ponder I remembered the sands of the Jamaican beaches I got to visit three times on mission work in high school and how blue the ocean was in that geographical paradise.  With my mind on beauty I think now of the Golden Dome at Notre Dame, I have not been a Fighting Irish for long but seeing Our Lady shine so bright as she basks in the sun makes my tummy feel all warm and glowing inside.  After considering all of these things I first have to humbly admit how amazingly blessed I have been.  These opportunities to travel are blessings that I do not deserve but that have been given to me by God in His infinite generosity.  Yes, I am blessed, I know that full well but I will admit that is not the main realization that I had in Spain. 

I realized that on the Rocky Mountains I was less concerned with the gigantic rocks in front of me and more concerned by the priest that had taken me up the mountain.  He had left a life of financial success to embrace service to God’s people.   At the Alhambra I have to admit I was kind of bored.  I got more entertainment from the University of Michigan graduate that I had met who thought that a picture of a fountain in a red circle with a red line through it meant that the water was OK to drink.  At the Mayan ruins I did not listen to any of the historical facts because I was too enthralled with my conversation with a fellow missionary about how to achieve purity of heart as honorable Christian men.  I had a great time at the Niagara Falls but it was not because of the water, it was because of the laughter I shared with my brothers in community at the time.  The scenery of the Camino was wonderful but what I enjoyed so much more was talking to my Swedish friend I had made; a six foot, four inch head mistress named June who was very proper but happened to love the band KISS.  The beaches of Jamaica really were beautiful but what was more beautiful was how instantaneous brotherhood was sparked between Jamaicans and Americans by a simple game of beach soccer.  Our Mother Mary dressed in gold at Notre Dame is surely an awe inspiring sight but the golden dome could never shine like the saints I ate, prayed, and studied with during my last two summers in Echo.

My realization in Spain was that I LOVE PEOPLE, I really, absolutely, completely, 100% love people and the truth is I always have.  I talk to people everywhere I go, pretty much non-stop.  I carry it as my mission to never leave someone in a worse or neutral place after interacting with me.  I try so hard to read them and find some way to lift them up.  I fail but I try.  Pope John Paul II said that he (paraphrasing) viewed each person he met as a gift entrusted to Him by God (Rise Let Us Be On Our Way).  All of God’s creation is beautiful and “very good” (Gen 1:31) but God’s greatest creation is humanity.  People travel thousands of miles on planes to see beautiful geographical sights but they miss out on the fact that God’s greatest masterpieces are sitting all around them sleeping, reading, and watching movies.  There is not a tourist sight in the world that could move my heart more powerfully than my nephew does when I hold him in my arms.

In my imperfection I rarely respect people as much as I should, sometimes in my head I will critique what someone is saying.  When I am really lost I will judge a person for something they say or do and I allow myself to forget that God has something He wants to reveal to me through them. These negative reactions of mine break my heart, I try to catch myself and realize that in front of me stands a precise treasure made in the “image and likeness" of God (Gen. 1:26) with an immortal soul and a body that will be resurrected and eternal one day.  I should love them always and never be distracted by anything less than love.  As the Bible says, "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love" (1 John 4:7-8).  If God Almighty Himself came to me and said, “Daniel, while you are on earth you can have anything you would like.”  I pray my response would be, “Lord, give me Your people to serve and please help me wash their feet.”

My nephew and I