Do not forget the works of the Lord! — Psalm 78 (see 7b)

Mass Readings: Hebrews 4:1-5,11/Mark 2:1-12 

Interior Healing 

I’m sure God has gotten pretty used to my regular pleas for healing — for my own minor ailments as well as the much more serious health issues faced by family members and friends. How often to do my prayers start not with “thank you” but with “please”? And then I wait. 

In today’s Gospel, after the friends of the paralytic brazenly open a roof to get to Jesus, the man is healed and able to get up and walk. We tend to focus on the power of the physical healing, but the bigger story is the forgiveness Jesus offers the man so freely. We’re offered the same forgiveness, and yet how often do we miss that miracle while waiting for something more obvious. With or without physical miracles, Jesus wants to heal us. 

Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for the miracle of Your never-ending mercy.