Faith demands positive action

 

Reflecting on my reading of the Scriptures today, there’s one major theme of "faith" - the absence of it or the presence of it in our lives.

Hebrews 4:1 – “Let us be on our guard while the promise of entering into his rest remains, that none of you seem to have failed.”

Hebrews 4:11 - "...Let us, then, do our best to receive that rest, so that no one of us will fail as they did because of their lack of faith."

St. Paul urges us to be “on guard” in order that we might enter into “his rest,” presumably eternal life.

At one time, being “on guard” entailed scrupulously following every church rule: for Catholics, no meat on Fridays, fasting during Lent, never missing Mass on holy days, and paying attention to the three principal parts of Mass so your attendance “counted” etc.

People of other faiths surely had their own versions of such regulations like Mormons who never drank coffee.  But is the admonition to be “on guard” still just about avoiding sin and following rules or does it demand positive action?

Psalm 78:6-8 - "...so that the next generation might learn them and in turn should tell their children.  In this way, they also will put their trust in God and not forget what he has done, but always obey his commandments.  They will not be like their ancestors, a rebellious and disobedient people whose trust in God was never firm and who did not remain faithful to him.”

This speaks to me about the necessity of having faith at the core of one's life so that life is fulfilled and not a failure.

Mark 2:4-6 – “Because of the crowd, however, they could not get the man to him.  So they made a hole in the roof right above the place where Jesus was.  When they had made an opening, they let the man down, lying on his mat.  Seeing how much faith they had, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, 'My son, your sins are forgiven."

Some stories from the life of Christ lend themselves well to the imagination.  In my opinion this one is close to the top.  I think my imagery is heightened because of all the home improvement shows I tend to watch on TV.

There are several different groups in the scene.  First of all, there’s the crowd that is listening to the words of Jesus.  I see surprise and wonderment on their faces as the paralytic on his mat appears above them.  This was certainly an unexpected interruption, and I’m sure those in the crowd were amazed.

Then there are the four stubbornly determined men who carried the paralytic.  They were so determined to bring the paralytic to the attention of Jesus that they devised an ingenious scheme and went through the roof.  In most homes we’re familiar with today, such an escapade would be nearly impossible without tools and heavy equipment.  But in the Israel where Jesus lived, the homes were adapted to the warm climate of the area.  So it probably wasn’t too difficult for the four men to make the hole in the roof.  The whole scene appears to have happened spontaneously.  The men made the hole in the roof of the house, most probably without asking the permission of the owner of the house.  We know nothing of the owner of the house, but it seems probable that he was not pleased with the unauthorized damage to his roof.

Next there’s the paralytic.  He wanted very much to see Jesus and beg for a cure for his illness.  But he had to really trust the four men who were carrying him.  After they made the hole in the roof, they lowered the mat on which the man was lying into the room where Jesus was speaking.  This must have been a tricky business.  The four men had to lower in concert so that the mat on which the paralytic lay would remain flat and he wouldn’t fall off.  Being paralyzed, he would not have been able to prevent falling, and might have fallen upon and injured others.  Certainly he must have been had some anxiety as this risky procedure unfolded.

But as this scene unfolds, our attention is drawn to Jesus.  And what is Jesus’ reaction to what was happening above Him?  Jesus admires the faith of the paralytic and the other four men.  He sees that the man believes that Jesus can help him.  And so the first response of Jesus is to reward the faith of the paralytic by forgiving his sins.  In doing so, Jesus shows us the importance of the virtue of faith.  I think that Jesus is showing us here the importance of recognizing and knowing and believing in and following Him.  The rest of this Gospel story emphasizes the importance of faith.  Jesus cures the paralytic of his paralysis so that the scribes  and the others in the crowd who didn’t have the faith of the paralytic, could come to know that He is really and truly the Son of God.  In this way He hoped that they could understand how important it was to listen to Him and His teaching.

Throughout the Gospels it seems as though Jesus is always looking for people with an openness to a Presence outside themselves.  He is looking for people who acknowledge they are not the center of the world and that the universe is intended to be lived in harmony with faith in God and loving relationships with others.

Jesus teaches that we need faith to live life fully.  He showers approval, blessings, gifts on those who truly have faith in God.  

On Monday, we’ll commemorate the life of Martin Luther King, Jr., a man of great faith in God.  Martin Luther King, Jr. had faith and a dream.  He and others are role models for us to see what can be accomplished because of a strong faith that seeks justice.

Lord, today, we ask for a faith in you that does justice - even when the world is against us. Give us the courage to live faithful lives that do justice in our everyday lives - at home, at work, in our neighborhoods, communities, cities, states, and nation.  Support us with the courage to do your will. Jesus, I trust in you!