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Gospel Reading for January 16, 2026 – Mark 2: 1-12
LOVING EFFORT
When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it became known that he was at home. Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them, not even around the door, and he preached the word to them. 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.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves, “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming. Who but God alone can forgive sins?” Jesus immediately knew in his mind what they were thinking to themselves, so he said, “Why are you thinking such things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, pick up your mat and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth” –he said to the paralytic, “I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home.” He rose, picked up his mat at once, and went away in the sight of everyone. They were all astounded and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”
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The highlight of this reading is not so much that Jesus cured the paralytic because he had been healing the sick left and right, morning till evening, all throughout his ministry. What really outshines in this reading is the LOVING EFFORT of the four men who carried the paralytic and made sure that he is brought in front of Jesus. Having so much faith in Jesus, they were so sure that given this chance, the paralytic would be healed. Who knows, it was not just their faith, but their LOVING EFFORT that inspired and moved Jesus to heal the man.
When God made us, our souls came with a body, therefore, our physical health is very important to God. Part of Christ’s mission of salvation is not only spiritual health but also physical health, which was so much a part of his ministry.
We remember the reading on the Last Judgment in Matthew 25: 31-46 – “I was sick and you took care of me.” Part of being a Christian is to give LOVING EFFORT to the sick. This is why the entire Church community is called to support the sick through prayer (in the Prayers of the Faithful at mass). Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion make home, hospital, and nursing home visits to bring communion to the sick, priests visit the sick so they may experience the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick. All these ensure that the sick remain connected to their faith community and feel God’s love.
Those of us in the Medical Industry can also give our LOVING EFFORT to the sick and not see our job simply as a job needed to earn a living, but as part of our mission in this world. Filipino nurses, especially those working in hospitals abroad, have a very good reputation because they always go the extra mile with their patients. Succinct to say, they speed up the healing of the patient.
In our own families, do we exert LOVING effort to those who are sick, the elderly and the handicapped?
Heal us Lord, of all our infirmities, and revitalize our souls!
