Strengthen all weary hands

Ish 35:1-10, Lk. 5:17-26. Our Lord Jesus Christ is very close to us and during these days of Advent we have to get ready to receive Him in a new way when Christmas comes. These days, as the first reading challenges us to "Strengthen all weary hands, steady all trembling knees and say to all faints heart, 'Courage, do not be afraid'..." Everyday we meet friends, colleagues and relatives who have lost their sense of what is most essential to their very existence. They feel unable to go towards Jesus and they walk along the paths of life as though paralysed, because they have lost hope. We have to show them that there is 'light at the end of the tunnel' such as the friends of the paralytic were able to bring him to Jesus.

The four friends of the paralytic overcame obstacles which seemed insurmountable and convince the paralytic. Their trust in Jesus must have been very great, because only someone who is convinced can convince others. When they reached the house, there were such crowd that it seemed there was nothing they could do on that occasion. They were able to overcome the obstacle with their decisiveness, skill and concern. At this time, what mattered to them was to reach Jesus. To be able to reach Jesus, we must have an unshakeable hope in the power of God. In many cases, bringing our friends closer to Christ means taking them to receive the mercy of God. No way of helping friends is as great as making it easy for them to go for Confession.

May the Lord heal the broken wall of discord and reconcile us in the sharing of our hope in Christ! Amen!! Good morning and have a fruitful week!!!