What Does The Healing Miracle of the Paralytic Teach Us?
By: Elias Bejjani *
March 10/13
“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11/28-30) .
Does Almighty God, Our loving Father listen to our prayers, intercessions, and supplications for the benefit of others and responds positively to them when we call on Him through prayers to rescue and help them? Definitely He does and "The Healing Miracle of the Paralytic" is a great prove among many other miracles that Jesus and His disciples performed on the request of those others who requested help for family members, friends, acquaintances, servants etc. There is no doubt that the habit of praying for others in any manner or pattern is a desirable religious practice, especially when the prayers are for the sake of those who are sick, persecuted, oppressed, poor, lonely and distressed, or have fallen prey to evil temptations.
Jesus brought Lazarus back to live after he had been buried for four days on the request of his two faithful sisters Martha and Mary and said to Martha: “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will live, even though they die; 26 and those who live and believe in me will never die". John 11/25 and 26). In the same context Jesus healed the Roman Officer's Servant on the request of the officer, and told him, “Go home, and what you believe will be done for you." And the officer's servant was healed that very moment. (Matthew 08/05-13). And in the same realm of the faith of those who asked Jesus to help others, He cured the Canaanite woman's daughter and responded to her request saying: "You are a woman of great faith! What you want will be done for you.” And at that very moment her daughter was healed". (Matthew 08/21-28)
On the fifth Lenten Sunday, the Catholic Maronites cite and recall with great reverence the Gospel of Saint Mark( 02/01-12): "The Healing Miracle of the Paralytic": "When he entered again into Capernaum after some days, it was heard that he was in the house. Immediately many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even around the door; and he spoke the word to them. Four people came, carrying a paralytic to him. When they could not come near to him for the crowd, they removed the roof where he was. When they had broken it up, they let down the mat that the paralytic was lying on. Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” But there were some of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak blasphemies like that? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you reason these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to tell the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven;’ or to say, ‘Arise, and take up your bed, and walk?’ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”— He said to the paralytic— “I tell you, arise, take up your mat, and go to your house.” He arose, and immediately took up the mat, and went out in front of them all; so that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
This great miracle in its theological essence and core demonstrates beyond
doubt that intercessions, prayers and supplications for the benefit of others
are acceptable faith rituals that Almighty God attentively hears and definitely
answers. It is interesting to learn that the paralytic man as stated in the
Gospel of St. Mark, didn't personally call on Jesus to cure him, nor he asked
Him for forgiveness, mercy or help, although as many theologians believe Jesus
used to visit Capernaum, where the man lives, and preach in its Synagogue
frequently. Apparently this crippled man was lacking faith, hope, distancing
himself from God and totally ignoring the Gospel's teaching. He did not believe
that the Lord can cure him. What also makes this miracle remarkable and
distinguishable lies in the fact that the paralytic's relatives and friends, or
perhaps some of Jesus' disciples were adamant that the Lord is able to heal this
sick man who has been totally crippled for 38 years if He just touches him. This
strong faith and hope made four of them carry the paralytic on his mat and rush
to the house where Jesus was preaching. When they could not break through the
crowd to inter the house they climbed with the paralytic to the roof, made a
hole in it and let down the mat that the paralytic was lying on in front of
Jesus and begged for his cure. Jesus was taken by their strong faith and
fulfilled their request.
Jesus forgave the paralytic his sins first (“Son, your sins are forgiven you)
and after that cured his body: "Arise, and take up your bed, and walk". Like the
scribes many nowadays still question the reason and rationale that made Jesus
give priority to the man's sins. Jesus' wisdom illustrates that sin is the
actual death and the cause for eternal anguish in Hell. He absolved his sins
first because sin cripples those who fall in its traps, annihilates their hopes,
faith, morals and values, kills their human feelings, inflicts numbness on their
consciences and keeps them far away from Almighty God. Jesus wanted to save the
man's soul before He cures his earthy body.
"For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his
life?" (Mark 08:/36 & 37).
Almighty God is always waiting for us, we, His Children to come to Him and ask
for His help and mercy either for ourselves or for others. He never leaves us
alone. Meanwhile it is a Godly faith obligation to extend our hand and pull up
those who are falling and unable to pray for themselves especially the mentally
sick, the unconscious, and the paralyzed. In this realm of faith, love and care
for others comes our prayers to Virgin Mary and to all Saints whom we do not
worship, but ask for their intercessions and blessings.
In this loving and forgiving context, prayers for others, alive or dead, loved ones or enemies, relatives or strangers, are religiously desirable. God hears and responds because He never abandons His children no matter what they do or say, provided that they turn to Him with faith and repentance and ask for His mercy and forgiveness either for themselves or for others.
"Are any among you in trouble? They should pray. Are any among you happy?
They should sing praises. Are any among you sick? They should send for the
church elders, who will pray for them and rub olive oil on them in the name of
the Lord. This prayer made in faith will heal the sick; the Lord will restore
them to health, and the sins they have committed will be forgiven. So then,
confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you will be
healed. The prayer of a good person has a powerful effect. Elijah was the same
kind of person as we are. He prayed earnestly that there would be no rain, and
no rain fell on the land for three and a half years. 18 Once again he prayed,
and the sky poured out its rain and the earth produced its crops." (James
05/13-17)
Our Gracious God does not disappoint any person when he seek His help with faith
and confidence. With great interest and parental love, He listens to worshipers'
prayers and requests and definitely respond to them in His own way, wisdom, time
and manner.
"Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened". (Matthew 07/07 &08)
In conclusion, God sees and hears us all the time, let us all fear Him in all what we think, do and say. Meanwhile praying for others whether they are parents, relatives, strangers, acquaintances, enemies, or friends, and for countries, is an act that exhibits the faith, caring, love, and hope of those who offer the prayers. Almighty God, Who is a loving, forgiving, passionate, and merciful Father listens to these prayers and always answers them in His own wisdom and mercy that mostly we are unable to grasp because of our limited human understanding. "
"All things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” (Matthew 21/22)
O, Lord, endow us with graces of faith, hope, wisdom, and patience. Help us
to be loving, caring, humble and meek. Show us the just paths. Help us to be on
your right with the righteous on the Judgment Day.
*Elias Bejjani
Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com
& http://www.clhrf.com
http://www.facebook.com/elias.y.bejjani?ref=tn_tnmn
Mailing phoenicia group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/.
N.B: The above editorial in Arabic, text and Audio/Links
below
الأحد الخامس من الصوم الكبير/عجيبة شفاء المخلع
النص/شفاء المخلع وواجب
الصلاة من أجل الآخرين/الياس بجاني/10
آذار/13
http://10452lccc.com/elias%20arabic11/elias%20paralysed18.3.12.htm
بالصوت/شرح لخلفية وعبر
ومعاني عجيبة شفاء المخلع/الياس بجاني/10
آذار/13
http://www.clhrf.com/elias1.events/paralysed.elias18.3.12.wma