Vatican City, Jan 13, 2017 / 15:04 pm
In his homily on Friday morning, Pope Francis commented on the Gospel story of the paralytic lowered through the roof, saying that stagnant faith breeds unkindness while authentic faith takes risks to be closer to Jesus.
Searching for Christ "isn't easy, but it's wonderful! And it's always a risk," the Pope said. When we ask Jesus for healing or the answer to a problem, he said, Christ goes even further, healing the spirit and offering the forgiveness of sins.
During Mass at the Chapel of Santa Marta, the Pope spoke about the men in the Gospel who created a hole in the roof, lifting down a paralytic man to where Jesus was teaching, so he could be close to Jesus and ask him for healing.
Speaking out against the spectators who didn't follow Jesus, but who stayed in their place, Francis warned against the danger of growing into clericalism. It is the judgmental who see the simple-hearted and judge them for unknown or even impure intentions, he said.