Amos 7 : 10-17 / Matthew 9 : 1-8
It is difficult to understand what being paralyzed really is.
Yes, we have seen stroke-victims and wheel-chair bound persons, or even more severe cases of paralysis.
The paralytic in today's gospel was stretched out on a bed.
So it was like a complete physical stand-still, with no mobility and total reliance and dependence on others.
With the paralysis of the body might come the hardening of the heart.
One becomes bitter and angry with himself, with others and even with God.
Jesus looked beyond the physical condition of the paralytic to his spiritual condition.
He began the healing process with the forgiveness of sins.
As for ourselves, we may be physically able and mobile, but could we be spiritually paralyzed.
When we look at life with pessimism and anxiety and fear, could it be that we are spiritually paralyzed?
Just as in the 1st reading, Amaziah the priest of Bethel, was spiritually paralyzed and he would not want to hear anything from the prophet Amos.
When resentment and anger and bitterness begin to cripple our vision of life and cripple our relationship with others, then love and peace and joy will disappear from our lives.
Jesus came to free us from sin and to live life to the full.
But we must show Him our paralyzed hearts and let Him heal us with His mercy and love before we can get up and walk back to life.