by Jose Kurian Puliyeril

Gospel Reading: St. Mark 2: 1-12

Our Holy Church has set apart this Sunday for all the sick/patients across the globe and do remember all the patients across the world. Moreover the Holy Church exhorts to pray for all of them. In the first verse of today's reading we read, "And it was noised that he was in the home". Who had given the publicity to the fact that our Lord had reached the house at Capernaum? It was no body else other than the ones who had great faith in Him and they all had a belief that He could provide the promises a reality. This must have enabled many to reach the house where our Lord had spent time. We are also not behind anyone in spreading the news. But we must see what sort of news we are spreading. When one would listen to any piece of news, either the listener or a third person must be benefited in a way or the other. The basic reason for spreading the news must be the goodness of others, rather than ridiculing or humiliating others. In verse 2 we read that our Lord had preached the word unto them. What was the theme of His speech? Our Lord had always talking about the Kingdom of God and the ways and means to attain it. Prophet Isaiah said about His word in his book Chapter 61: verse 1, "The spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek, he has sent me to the bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound".

Do we have an account of the people to whom we might talk day by day? In our daily lives we might talk to so many from morning till evening on different occasions. Let us try to find out how many were attracted to the love of our Lord and how many were distracted from the same due to our talks and discourses. We have heard how the four men who carried the coat on which the man who was affected with palsy was taking rest, brought the sick person to the presence of our Lord. In verse 5 we read, "When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins are forgiven thee." Though St. Paul has given a definition for 'faith' in Hebrews as "the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of thing not seen", God Almighty has given a clear definition in Genesis 22: 12. In the said portion of the scripture we read about God Almighty's impression about our Patriarch Abraham and Abraham's fear about God is highlighted there as the symbol of his faith. We always respect and honor Abraham as the father of all the faithful. King Solomon the wise has declared that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. We are living in an age when almost all people are feeling freedom to live as they like and the most are least bothered about the fear of God. Let us think how much we do fear our Lord God. God is willing to do miracles even now, but our fearlessness forbids God to do the same. We should not forget the truth that our Lord God understands our thoughts and listens our words and sees our deeds as mentioned in Hebrews 4:13. (Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His eyes; but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.) The man who was brought before Lord Jesus was not at all pious. Still our Lord called him 'son'. Our good Lord loves the pious as well as the wicked alike. When one sinner turns back from his wicked life and stares at the kind Lord, he listens the sweet call 'son'. The psalmist prays "Bless the Lord O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all thine iniquities and who heals all thy diseases." (Psalms 103: 3)

Our fasting and the Lenten season as a whole must enable us to gain forgiveness of our sins. Let us try to live so close to our Lord God by doing His will and desires. Let us have a real and meaningful Holy Confession which guarantees a sure and certain forgiveness.