Does, then, the one who supplies the Spirit to you 

and works mighty deeds among you 

do so from works of the law 

or from faith in what you heard? 

Galatians 3:5

Work out your Faith and all things will be well for you.


They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him. After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him, “Child, your sins are forgiven.” (Mk 2:3-5)


Is our belief system based on science, history, or religion? 

I say mine is based on the love and faith I have for God through our Lord Jesus Christ. As St. Paul said, "Walk by Faith and not by Sight".

The Vicar of Christ, our beloved Pope Francis visited our country bringing a message of "Mercy and Compassion". He was welcomed by a multitude of people. I was not there and was just listening to the radio while driving home from the gym. Somehow, I was touched and began to feel tears in my eyes. It was a day of grace for our country and its people with the Holy Father staying with us at home.

In one of the television coverage I was watching, there was a panel of guests and one is an officer of an atheist movement. (Atheism is, in a broad sense, is the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities. Most inclusively, atheism is the absence of belief that any deities exist --Wikipedia). He was attacking the Catholic Church and Pope Francis.

Similarly in the gospel, there were scribes who began to criticize Jesus after healing a paralytic. Knowing what they were thinking, the Lord asked, "Why are you thinking such things in your hearts?" (Mk. 2:8)

Was the atheist acting like Jesus in correcting the wrong practices and mindset of religious people or is he destroying the faith as a non-believer? As Pope Francis said, "Who am I to Judge?"

The Lord invites us today to look upon our faith instead of dwelling on the motives of others. 

Jesus saw the faith of the four men who had broken through the roof above Him in order to let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying (Mk 2:4). Because of their faith, the man was forgiven of his sins enabling him to rise, pick up his mat and walk.

Friend, there exists a lot of voices in the world that can confuse you. Be like a sheep who only hears one voice and that is the voice of the Good Shepherd, our Lord Jesus Christ. In times when you are down and could not do things on your own, He will always be there to make you rise and walk.


Lord, increase my Faith. 


Published:
January 16, 2015, 6:35 AM