XXV — THE POWER AND LOVE OF JESUS

Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Presence of God. — O Jesus, grant that I may always correspond to gifts of your love.

Meditation

1 — A poor paralytic is brought before the Lord. Probably he has had himself carried there only to ask for bodily health, but before purity and holiness radiating from Jesus’ person, he remembers he is a sinner and remains there confounded and humbled. Jesus has already read his heart and, seeing his faith and humility, does not even wait for him to speak, but at once says with immense goodness: “Take courage, son, thy sins are forgiven thee.” The first and greatest miracle is worked: that man is no longer slave of Satan, but son of Jesus, who came to save souls and willed to heal his soul before his body.

This, however, does not please the scribes who, not believing in the Lord’s divinity, already accuse Him in their hearts of blasphemy. But the Master, just as He read the paralytic’s soul, so reads theirs: “Why do you think evil in your hearts?” If in those hearts Jesus saw a little humility, a little faith, He would be ready to heal them as He healed the paralytic’s heart. But unfortunately He finds only pride and obstinacy.

Yet He wants to use every means to bend them, and gives clearest proof of his divinity: “That you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins ... Arise, take up thy bed, and go into thy house.” And he arose and went to his house. The miracle was astounding and immediate: Jesus’ word did at once what it expressed. Such power belongs only to God’s word. But the scribes did not yield. When a heart is proudly obstinate, not even evidence of facts can shake it.

Let us never say our faith is weak because we do not see and touch with hand truths proposed for our belief. Let us rather say it is weak because our heart is not docile enough to grace and not wholly free of pride. If we want great faith, let us be humble and simple as little children. If we want share in sanctifying grace obtained by paralytic, let us present ourselves to Lord with contrite and humbled heart, deeply convinced we need his help and his pardon.

2 — The Gospel has shown us Jesus in splendor of his divine person, having all powers proper to God. The Epistle shows Him placing, so to speak, his divinity at our service in order to sanctify and divinize us. What Jesus did in paralytic’s soul He continues doing in ours, and today’s Epistle is a beautiful synthesis of his action in us, an ample and complete action embracing our whole being.

Contemplating this action, St. Paul bursts into thanksgiving: “I give thanks to my God always for you, for the grace of God that is given you in Christ Jesus, that in all things you are made rich in Him ... so that nothing is wanting to you in any grace.” Yes, every grace and every gift comes to us from Jesus, by whom our person and life are sanctified.

By sanctifying grace He sanctifies our soul; by infused virtues He sanctifies our faculties; by actual grace He sanctifies our activity, making us capable of acting supernaturally. Yet this still does not suffice for his liberality. He is not content with having made us able to walk toward God supernaturally transformed by grace and virtues, but wants to replace our human mode of proceeding with divine mode, and therefore enriches us with gifts of Holy Spirit that make us capable of being moved by God Himself.

All this is Jesus’ gift, fruit of his Passion. And the Holy Spirit too is his gift, the Gift par excellence, which by dying on Cross He merited for us and which continuously, together with Father, He sends us from Heaven to enlighten and guide our souls.

It seems Jesus, true Son of God, is not jealous of his divinity and prerogatives, but seeks every possible means to communicate to us by grace what He possesses by nature. How true it is that characteristic of love is to give itself and make lovers alike.

Let us open heart to gratitude, correspond to Jesus’ infinite love, and keep ourselves always under his influence, for He wants to “confirm us unto the end, that we may be without crime in day of his coming.”

Colloquy

“You took, O Jesus, my death, giving me your life; You took my flesh to give me your Spirit; You loaded Yourself with my sins to gift me with grace.

“Thus, O my Redeemer, all your sufferings are my treasure and riches. Your purple clothes me, your crown honors me, your bruises adorn me, your sorrows are my gift, your bitterness sustains me, your wounds heal me, your Blood enriches me, your love inebriates me.

“You are rest, fire, and desire of souls. You are Shepherd and Lamb who takes away sins of world. You are eternal High Priest, powerful to appease wrath of supreme Father. Who will not praise You, O Lord? Who will not love You with whole heart? O gentle Jesus, inflame my soul with such love, show me your beautiful face, make my eyes blessed with yours, and deny not to one who loves You the kiss of peace.

“You are Spouse of my soul; it seeks You, calls You with tears. O Holy One, You freed it from death by your death, and wounding it with your love You did not abhor it. Why does this poor one not feel sweetness of your presence? Listen, my God and my Savior, give me heart that loves You, for nothing is sweeter than always to burn in your love” (Venerable Louis of Granada).