We need to Cross over from our Comfortable Zone to reach out others

Gospel Thoughts 

13th week - Thursday

Gospel : Matthew 9 : 1-8

"We Need to Cross over from our comfort Zone to reach out others" 

"Jesus made the crossing, and came into his own town. And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher"

1) In the above phrase two things are very important to note 

First : Jesus is crossing river 

Second : The healing of the paralytic Man 

-It is very clear that Jesus crossed the river to come to the place where the paralytic was suffering

It was not the paralytic who crossed the river, but it is Jesus who crossed the river to come to the paralytic

So the crossing of the river becomes very important to both - Jesus and the Paralytic

2) By crossing the river Jesus was able to reach out to the need of the paralytic man 

So the crossing of the river becomes an important point to reach out to the aid of the paralytic

3) It is also important that

As soon as Jesus crossed the river, there were many people who brought the paralytic to Jesus

-It was not necessary for Jesus, to go the place where the paralytic man was lying

It was people who brought the paralytic to Jesus 

So there were many people to help the paralytic to bring him to Jesus and Jesus also acknowledged their service 

So it was a team work which made the paralytic man to become well

4) By analysing the above situation we can apply the same incident to our life 

A) First of all we need to cross over to reach out others 

Crossing over 

-from our comfortable zone 

- from our self centered approach

- from our little world 

- from our little family atmosphere

- from our little group mentality

From our ghetto mentality

-from our language based, culture based, region based, colour based, gender based, approaches 

From our power, authority, superiority, wealth based status of life 

Unless we cross over from these things we can't reach out to the needs of others 

B) Crossing over is a continuous process

It is not a one moment work 

We can't cross over from these things easily 

C) Jesus used boat to cross the river 

We also need to use the boat to cross the river 

So boat represents the following

- Our prayer life 

Our spirituality

Our Charity, generosity

Our faith, hope and love

Our forgiving attitude 

Our self control 

Our adjustment

Use these boats to cross over from the above rivers

D) As soon as Jesus crossed the river there were people to help both Jesus and the paralytic

When we cross over from the above things there are so many people to help us to do good works 

It is not only our efforts. But there is a team to work wonders 

So it is a team work, which benefits everyone

E) Finally crossing over helps a person to work miracles

Without crossing from these rivers we are unable to work miracles 

5) Which are the rivers that I have to cross? 

At the moment which is the boat that is available in my life to cross the river 

Is my available boat is safe and secure or will it sink half way? 

Think about it seriously

God bless you and your family. Praying for you and your dear ones 

Fr Maxim DSouza

Jeppu Seminary

Mangalore