Jun 24, 2026 Written by 

Paralysis and punishment: different Tenderness

(Mt 9:1-8)

 

The episode testifies to the hard clash between synagogue and the first fraternities of Faith, where without prior conditions of ritual or legal purity everyone was invited to share canteen and the breaking of Bread.

On the ideal proxy of the Lord, in the churches of Galilee and Syria there was already a fraternal practice [unknown to others] of mutual forgiveness and even cancellation of debts incurred, up to the communion of goods.

Reality able to get back on its feet and make any person proceed, even the miserable - starting from their conscience (v.2), suffocated by a religion that emphaized the sense of unworthiness.

According to popular belief, the conditions of scarcity or misfortune were a punishment.

Conversely, Jesus is the One who restores a horizon of authenticity to believing, new awareness and hope to the person suffering from paralysis - that is, unable to go towards God and towards men.

«Having risen, take your bed and go to your house» (v.6; cf. Mk 2:11; Lk 5:24).

Starting from what we are - already full of resources, beyond all appearances - we live by faith the state of the «Son of man»: that of the ‘risen’ sons, those who manifest person in fullness [in the divine condition].

In Christ we can free ourselves from the constraints that made us live horizontal and ankylosed.

Recovering dignity, we can now stand upright and promote life; then return to the House that is truly ours (vv.6-7; cf. Mk 2:10-12; Lk 9:24-25).

 

The whole story of the people was conditioned by obsessions with impurity and sin.

Instead, the Master reveals that the divine propensity is only to forgive in order to value - and the attitude of the man of Faith, be reborn again and help to do so.

In fact, the gratuitousness of the Father can be seen from the action of expectation and understanding exercised by the men of God: those able to chisel healthy environments.

Not only by their own’s virtue, but because tolerance introduces new forces, unknown; different powers, which overturn situations.

They allow other creative energies to pass and regenerate the malfunctioning - vice versa deadly, unfortunately, where we do not promote each other.

Only Jesus is the One who makes visible and evident the healing that seemed impossible mission. And before physics, making us flourish again from the fears of false devotion, which imposes absurd embankments on autonomy.

His proposal does not sink us under a heap of impersonal arrogances. The Lord heals the blocked, puts them back in the race.

Imperfection is not an expression of guilt, but a condition - and in any case sin is not an absolute force (v.3).

On the contrary, the impediment becomes a paradoxical reason to seek 'therapy', and vis-à-vis. Unthinkable, perhaps offensive, for the outline.

Eccentric configurations - thought to be miserable - do indeed contain secret doors, immense virtues, and the cure itself.

Indeed, they lead to a new existence. They urge, and “oblige” us to an immediate relationship with our Lord. Almost as if seeking His ‘likeness’.

 

Unusual crossroads of Tenderness and Faith.

 

 

[Thursday 13th wk. in O.T.  July 2, 2026]

269 Last modified on Thursday, 02 July 2026 12:02
don Giuseppe Nespeca

Giuseppe Nespeca è architetto e sacerdote. Cultore della Sacra scrittura è autore della raccolta "Due Fuochi due Vie - Religione e Fede, Vangeli e Tao"; coautore del libro "Dialogo e Solstizio".

Many situations, then, which unfortunately do not conform to the legitimate predictions and rules established, are anything but negative; and instead of taking away confidence for the harassment they cause, They should have it more generous and far-sighted in favor of their process of responsible decantation (Pope Paul VI)
Molte situazioni, poi, che non sono purtroppo conformi alle legittime previsioni e alle norme stabilite, sono tutt’altro che del tutto negative; e invece di togliere la fiducia per la molestia che arrecano, esse dovrebbero averla più generosa e lungimirante in favore del loro processo di responsabile decantazione (Papa Paolo VI)
We must not fear the humility of taking little steps, but trust in the leaven that penetrates the dough and slowly causes it to rise (cf. Mt 13:33) [Pope Benedict]
Occorre non temere l’umiltà dei piccoli passi e confidare nel lievito che penetra nella pasta e lentamente la fa crescere (cfr Mt 13,33) [Papa Benedetto]
The joy of the Gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ joy is constantly born anew [Evangelii Gaudium n.1]
La gioia del Vangelo riempie il cuore e la vita intera di coloro che si incontrano con Gesù. Coloro che si lasciano salvare da Lui sono liberati dal peccato, dalla tristezza, dal vuoto interiore, dall’isolamento. Con Gesù Cristo sempre nasce e rinasce la gioia [Evangelii Gaudium n.1]
The Spirit of the Lord continues to pour out his gifts upon the Church to guide us into all truth, to show us the meaning of the Scriptures and to make us credible heralds of the word of salvation before the world [Pope Benedict, Verbum Domini]
Lo Spirito del Signore continua ad effondere i suoi doni sulla Chiesa perché siamo condotti alla verità tutta intera, dischiudendo a noi il senso delle Scritture e rendendoci nel mondo annunciatori credibili della Parola di salvezza [Papa Benedetto, Verbum Domini]
This belonging to each other and to him is not some ideal, imaginary, symbolic relationship, but – I would almost want to say – a biological, life-transmitting state of belonging to Jesus Christ (Pope Benedict)
Questo appartenere l’uno all’altro e a Lui non è una qualsiasi relazione ideale, immaginaria, simbolica, ma – vorrei quasi dire – un appartenere a Gesù Cristo in senso biologico, pienamente vitale (Papa Benedetto)
Jesus invites us to discern the words and deeds which bear witness to the imminent coming of the Father’s kingdom. Indeed, he indicates and concentrates all the signs in the enigmatic “sign of Jonah”. By doing so, he overturns the worldly logic aimed at seeking signs that would confirm the human desire for self-affirmation and power (Pope John Paul II)
Gesù invita al discernimento in rapporto alle parole ed opere, che testimoniano l'imminente avvento del Regno del Padre. Anzi, Egli indirizza e concentra tutti i segni nell'enigmatico "segno di Giona". E con ciò rovescia la logica mondana tesa a cercare segni che confermino il desiderio di autoaffermazione e di potenza dell'uomo (Papa Giovanni Paolo II)
In reality, an abstract, distant god is more comfortable, one that doesn’t get himself involved in situations and who accepts a faith that is far from life, from problems, from society. Or we would even like to believe in a ‘special effects’ god (Pope Francis)
In realtà, è più comodo un dio astratto, distante, che non si immischia nelle situazioni e che accetta una fede lontana dalla vita, dai problemi, dalla società. Oppure ci piace credere a un dio “dagli effetti speciali” (Papa Francesco)

Due Fuochi due Vie - Vol. 1 Due Fuochi due Vie - Vol. 2 Due Fuochi due Vie - Vol. 3 Due Fuochi due Vie - Vol. 4 Due Fuochi due Vie - Vol. 5 Dialogo e Solstizio I fiammiferi di Maria

duevie.art

don Giuseppe Nespeca

Tel. 333-1329741


Disclaimer

Questo blog non rappresenta una testata giornalistica in quanto viene aggiornato senza alcuna periodicità. Non può pertanto considerarsi un prodotto editoriale ai sensi della legge N°62 del 07/03/2001.
Le immagini sono tratte da internet, ma se il loro uso violasse diritti d'autore, lo si comunichi all'autore del blog che provvederà alla loro pronta rimozione.
L'autore dichiara di non essere responsabile dei commenti lasciati nei post. Eventuali commenti dei lettori, lesivi dell'immagine o dell'onorabilità di persone terze, il cui contenuto fosse ritenuto non idoneo alla pubblicazione verranno insindacabilmente rimossi.