Who do you think you are?

Have you had a look at next Sunday’s Gospel yet? Do you realise what you’re missing out on, by waiting for the priest to proclaim it at Mass? Well, just to whet your appetite a bit, what follows is a little something that may give you some food for thought.

The Gospel this coming Sunday is taken from St Mark, chapter 2 – you have to love Mark, he’s in such a hurry for you to get the message! It is the account of the cure of the paralytic. What I found striking this week, were the words of Jesus to the paralytic – he called him “My child”.

‘… Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “My child, your sins are forgiven.” …’

So, there you are – whoever it is you think you are – the truth is, when you come to Jesus – and He is the Truth – that is how he thinks of you, no matter what. Read the Gospel text and you will notice the paralytic described as a paralytic right the way through it. But, Jesus doesn’t look at him that way, doesn’t see him that way: To Jesus, he is ‘My child’. To Jesus, you are ‘My child’ – that means without condition, just as you are, warts and all. You don’t have to make yourself perfect in order to be acceptable to God, you don’t have to make yourself clean and saintly or holy – and anyway do you know how? Could you even make a beginning?
If the work of purification belonged to ourselves alone, to myself alone, I wonder would I summon up the energy to do it? I wouldn’t even know where to start. And reading this Gospel text fills me with hope, because I am reminded that God is love; Jesus is love – and his love isn’t waiting to be given to me when I am good enough to deserve it. It is waiting for me now, if I will come to Jesus just as I am. He is the only one who can look at me and love me as I am, without attaching conditions – I can’t make myself good enough for him, but in his love, his infinite love for even me – even you – he wants me, and he wants you, and it is his joy and desire to make us good enough.

Will we let him???????