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Let's open up the roof!
January 13, 2023
Dear Family of Mary!
Today's Gospel reading is one of my favorites! Jesus comes home to Capernaum, after ministering elsewhere, and the people stampede the house to get close to Him. Impossible to meet Jesus? Not if you have resourceful friends!!
Mark 2:1-12
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.”
We marvel at the courage of the four men who carried their friend up on to the roof, opened up the roof, and then lowered him down in the midst of the house! And I rejoice at the grace made available to the paralytic! But for me it is a deep reminder that I need to work much harder at getting close to Jesus. In fact, I probably need someone to do the work for me, just like the paralytic did!!
Our Lady is very much like those four men who carried the paralytic to Jesus. She carries each of us to Jesus, but she needs our cooperation. Here are two messages in which she asks us to allow her to lead us to Jesus:
May 25, 1992 "Dear children! Today also I invite you to prayer, so that through prayer you come still nearer to God. I am with you and I desire to lead you on the path to salvation that Jesus gives you. From day to day, I am nearer to you although you are not aware of it and you do not want to admit that you are only linked to me in a small way with your few prayers. When trials and problems arise, you say, 'O God! O Mother! Where are you?' As for me, I only wait for your 'Yes' to present to Jesus for Him to fill you with His grace. That is why, once more, please accept my call and start to pray in a new way until prayer becomes joy to you. Then you will discover that God is all-powerful in your daily life. I am with you and I am waiting for you. Thank you for having responded to my call."
January 25, 1988 "Dear children! Today again I am calling you to complete conversion, which is difficult for those who have not chosen God. God can give you everything that you seek from Him. But you seek God only when sicknesses, problems and difficulties come to you and you think that God is far from you and is not listening and does not hear your prayers. No, dear children, that is not the truth. When you are far from God, you cannot receive graces because you do not seek them with a firm faith. Day by day, I am praying for you, and I want to draw you ever more near to God, but I cannot if you don't want it. Therefore, dear children put your life in God's hands. I bless you all. Thank you for having responded to my call."
Mother, we want you to bring me to your Son. Please help me to be as dependent upon you as that paralytic was to the four men who carried him to Jesus. I want to allow you to show me the way to Jesus, and even to carry me there! I need your Son! I need healing! I need you to help me!!
In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
(c) Mary TV 2023
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