This episode makes us realize how other people are often the instruments of our healing and salvation.

Being paralytic, the man in the Gospel could not but rely on the generosity and compassion of his friends. And the way they used every means to have him cured by Jesus made even Jesus truly amazed. To risk their own lives (and, of course, the life of their paralytic friend) by climbing to the roof was truly remarkable.

And so, Jesus seeing their creativity, their determination, and their faith that he could heal the man, responds willingly and cures the paralytic and makes him walk again.

Sadly, however, the religious authorities present could only see blasphemy in Jesus’ deed but not his saving act and the extraordinary faith and love of the friends of the paralytic.

We, too, can miss the miracles around us when we simply want to see the “wrong” or the “mistakes” of others, even if they are actually right and salvific.

So, instead of rejoicing and thanking God for wondrous deeds done among us, we choose to see the “irregularities” or the perceived violations of “protocols.” It is something really sad.

First Reading • Am 7:10-17

Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent word to Jeroboam, king of Israel: “Amos has conspired against you here within Israel; the country cannot endure all his words. For this is what Amos says: Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be exiled from its land.”

To Amos, Amaziah said: “Off with you, visionary, flee to the land of Judah! There earn your bread by prophesying, but never again prophesy in Bethel; for it is the king’s sanctuary and a royal temple.”

Amos answered Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor have I belonged to a company of prophets; I was a shepherd and a dresser of sycamores. The Lord took me from following the flock, and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ Now hear the word of the Lord!”

You say: prophesy not against Israel, preach not against the house of Isaac. Now thus says the Lord: Your wife shall be made a harlot in the city, and your sons and daughters shall fall by the sword; your land shall be divided by measuring line, and you yourself shall die in an unclean land; Israel shall be exiled far from its land.

“The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.”

After entering a boat, Jesus made the crossing, and came into his own town. And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.”

At that, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, “Why do you harbor evil thoughts?

Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic, “Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”

He rose and went home. When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe and glorified God who had given such authority to men.