Homily Cycle I 01-18-19

In Luke’s Gospel Jesus healed the paralytic who was helped by four friends.  Imagine this scene – Christmas Eve Mass [at Our Lady of Perpetual Help] without the Marian Inn overflow Mass, the church is packed, people standing in the gathering space, and even in the parking lot.  Then, four people – lower someone down on a mat into the middle of Church.  Pretty chaotic!  The packed house overflowing with people was the situation in today’s Gospel.

Picture a yoga Mat, certainly the mat the four people used was larger than it.  Remember the “One Thousand & One Nights”, a.k.a. “Arabian Nights” the story of Prince Husain and his magic [flying] carpet.  That carpet was 60 mile long and 6 miles wide, going west that would be to Lebanon, PA. 

The Mat that the four men used was some where between those the yoga mat and the magic carpet, remember they were carrying a man on it.  The paralytic’s friends were really good friends – in word and in deed! 

However, the most important friend in today’s Gospel is Jesus.  He is fully human and fully divine and He teaches with authority.

Give thanks today for friends who have encouraged you in following the Lord.  Give thanks to Jesus’ for loving you; His love enables you to do good in the world. 

Reflect on the Mat in the Gospel reading, it represents the sacraments, which help us grow close to Jesus.  Take a few minutes today to thank God for the gift of your friends, your family, the Sacraments, most especially the Gift of Jesus who is the Bread of Life!

May God Be Praised!