weekly gospel meditations

SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B)

Baptismal Faith, Commitment, and Witness

Isaiah 43:18-19, 21-22, 24-25; Second Corinthians 1:18-22; Mark 2:1-12

Aim: (1) to explain how faith is needed for baptism especially with reference to infant baptism; (2) to stress that baptism calls for faith, commitment and witness.

Today's beautiful Gospel, form Mark, is one of the classic Biblical witnesses to the validity of infant baptism.

Why was the paralyzed man forgiven by Jesus? The Gospel clearly states (the original Greek is very explicit here as well as in St. Luke's account of the same incident) that the paralytic was cured precisely because of his frined's faith, because of their faith: the faith manifested by the crippled man's friends who literally tore the roof off the house wherein Jesus was preaching and lowered the poor unfortunate to our Lord's feet. Today's Gospel reads, "When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man..."

Thus Scripture sets forth the doctrine of salvation through "the faith of the community." This is what happens in infant baptism. Although there is a general rule that Christ's saving action is impeded without antecedent personal faith, occasionally the faith of others, of the community, can be an environment for salvation.

In the case of infant baptism, the believing Christian community, the Church, represented by the baptizing priest, the parents, the godparents, the witnesses, as well as by the parish and the Church, "supplies" in a sense the required dispositions of faith in behalf of the infant.

Take a closer look at this mystery of salvation through the faith of the community - in a broader context than infant baptism. Take this question: Is it possible that we can inspire and sustain others in faith and thereby occasion their being forgiven and cured by Jesus? Can we be stretcher bearers for the sick of soul."

Take the case of St. Monica. For years she prayed for her son Augustine's conversion, but thought her hopes all dashed when he booked passage to Milan, then a city of vice. But in Milan Augustine became fascinated by the masterful sermons of Ambrose, and now we venerate all three as saints: Monica, Augustine, Ambrose. Owing to the faith of Monica and Ambrose, Augustine the great Doctor of the Church emerged.

Like the stretcher bearers of today's Gospel, Monica literally succeeded in placing her morally crippled son at the Savior's feet. Seeing her faith, and the faith of Ambrose, Christ responded with his healing powers.

Now as yesterday-recall Isaiah in today's First Reading-God wants to blot out man's iniquities. Today, too, God wants man to say "Amen," or "Yes," to his wonderful promises of forgiveness-as today's Second Reading reminds.

For this, faith is essential. And today so many men, in desperate need of God's pardon, are as crippled---spiritually--as the paralyzed man of today's Gospel.

They literally need to experience the faith of others who by faith will bring them to the feet of the loving, healing Savior.