From: Mark 2:1-12
The Curing of a Paralytic
[6] Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, [7]
“Why does this man speak thus? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God
alone?” [8] And immediately Jesus, perceiving in His spirit that they thus ques-
tioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question thus in your
hearts? [9] Which is easier to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to
say, ‘Rise, take up your pallet and walk?’ [10] But that you may know that the
Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic—[11]
“I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home.” [12] And he rose, and im-
mediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all
amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
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Commentary:
4. Many Jewish houses had a terraced roof accessible by steps at the back.
The same structure can be found even today.
5. Here Jesus emphasizes the connection between faith and the forgiveness of
sins. The boldness of the people who brought in the paralytic shows their faith
in Christ, and this faith moves Jesus to forgive the man’s sins. We should ques-
tion how God views our faith: the faith of these people leads to the instantaneous
physical and spiritual curing of this man. We should notice also that one per-
son’s need can be helped by the merits of another.
In this man’s physical paralysis, St. Jerome sees a type or figure of spiritual pa-
ralysis: the cripple was unable to return to God by his own efforts. Jesus, God
and man, cured him of both kinds of paralysis (cf. “Comm. in Marcum, in loc.”).
Cf. notes on Matthew 9:2-7.
Jesus’ words to the paralytic—”Your sins are forgiven”—reflect the fact that his
pardon involves a personal encounter with Christ; the same happens in the
Sacrament of Penance: “In faithfully observing the centuries-old practice of the
Sacrament of Penance—the practice of individual confession with a personal act
of sorrow and an intention to amend and make satisfaction—the Church is defen-
ding the human soul’s individual right, man’s right to a more personal encounter
with the crucified forgiving Christ, with Christ saying, through the minister of the
Sacrament of Reconciliation: ‘Your sins are forgiven’; ‘Go, and do not sin again’
(John 8:11). As is evident, this is also a right on Christ’s part with regard to eve-
ry human being in the soul’s life constituted by the moment of conversion and
forgiveness” (John Paul II, “Redemptor Hominis”, 20).
7-12. Here we find a number of indicators of Jesus’ divinity: He forgives sins, He
can read the human heart and has the power to instantly cure physical illnesses.
The scribes know that only God can forgive sins. This is why they take issue
with our Lord’s statement and call it blasphemous. They require a sign to prove
the truth of what He says. And Jesus offers them a sign. Thus just as no one
can deny that the paralytic has been cured, so no one can reasonably deny that
he has been forgiven his sins. Christ, God and man, exercised power to forgive
sins and, in His infinite mercy, He chose to extend this power to His Church. Cf.
note on Matthew 9:3-7.
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
Readings at Mass
Liturgical Colour: Green.
First reading
Hebrews 4:1-5,11 ©
None of you has come too late for God’s promise
Be careful: the promise of reaching the place of rest that God had for the Israelites still holds good, and none of you must think that he has come too late for it. We received the Good News exactly as they did; but hearing the message did them no good because they did not share the faith of those who listened. We, however, who have faith, shall reach a place of rest, as in the text: And so, in anger, I swore that not one would reach the place of rest I had for them. God’s work was undoubtedly all finished at the beginning of the world; as one text says, referring to the seventh day: After all his work God rested on the seventh day. The text we are considering says: They shall not reach the place of rest I had for them. We must therefore do everything we can to reach this place of rest, or some of you might copy this example of disobedience and be lost.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 77(78):3-4,6-8 ©
Never forget the deeds of the Lord.
The things we have heard and understood,
the things our fathers have told us,
these we will not hide from their children
but will tell them to the next generation:
Never forget the deeds of the Lord.
the glories of the Lord and his might
and the marvellous deeds he has done,
that the next generation might know it,
the children yet to be born.
Never forget the deeds of the Lord.
They too should arise and tell their sons
that they too should set their hope in God
and never forget God’s deeds
but keep every one of his commands,
Never forget the deeds of the Lord.
so that they might not be like their fathers,
a defiant and rebellious race,
a race whose heart was fickle,
whose spirit was unfaithful to God.
Never forget the deeds of the Lord.
Gospel Acclamation
cf.Ep1:17,18
Alleluia, alleluia!
May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
enlighten the eyes of our mind,
so that we can see what hope his call holds for us.
Alleluia!
Or:
Lk7:16
Alleluia, alleluia!
A great prophet has appeared among us;
God has visited his people.
Alleluia!
Gospel
Mark 2:1-12 ©
The Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins
When Jesus returned to Capernaum, word went round that he was back; and so many people collected that there was no room left, even in front of the door. He was preaching the word to them when some people came bringing him a paralytic carried by four men, but as the crowd made it impossible to get the man to him, they stripped the roof over the place where Jesus was; and when they had made an opening, they lowered the stretcher on which the paralytic lay. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘My child, your sins are forgiven.’ Now some scribes were sitting there, and they thought to themselves, ‘How can this man talk like that? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins but God?’ Jesus, inwardly aware that this was what they were thinking, said to them, ‘Why do you have these thoughts in your hearts? Which of these is easier: to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven” or to say, “Get up, pick up your stretcher and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ – he turned to the paralytic – ‘I order you: get up, pick up your stretcher, and go off home.’ And the man got up, picked up his stretcher at once and walked out in front of everyone, so that they were all astounded and praised God saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this.’