Day 2: The Healed Paralytic

Welcome to Day #2 of our Heart-to-Heart Mini-Retreat!

We at Catholic Holy Hour are offering eight days of prayer to the Sacred Heart honoring the apparitions of Jesus during the Octave of Corpus Christi (June 13-20, 1675… exactly 350 years ago!) in which He gave the Sacred Heart devotions to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque.

Sonnet Two from The Golden Chapel of the Sacred Heart [VIDEO – click on the play icon to start]

The Golden Chapel of the Sacred Heart

A Sonnet Crown to the Sacred Heart as Healer
II

Longing to run back to my golden prayer,
I think of the first panel: Matthew Nine–
the Paralytic: healed from his nightmare
of motionlessness, took his mat—walked fine,
and with his sins forgiven, felt a weight
had left him as he rose. How many times
we’re paralyzed by sin; it chokes our gait
as though thorn bushes trespass on our climbs.
How many times we’re frozen, numb with pain
and when we’re told “your sins are forgiven,”
after Confession—it’s like light through rain
as we walk out, relieved we were driven
to stop the old familiar ache, confess–
pick up our stretchers, rise—released and blessed.
—Annabelle Moseley, from Our House of the Sacred Heart

Ponder and Pray Questions:

  1. Read Matthew 9:1-8 (see below)
  2. What verse or word in this passage moves you most deeply?
  3. When have you felt paralyzed by sin, as the poem mentions? When have you felt “released and blessed” as the poem describes?
  4. How does the feeling that comes after a good Confession relate to the former paralytic from Matthew 9 rising, picking up his stretcher, and going home?

Chapter 9, the Healing of the Paralytic

He entered a boat, made the crossing, and came into his own town. And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.” At that, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, “Why do you harbor evil thoughts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic, “Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” He rose and went home. When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe and glorified God who had given such authority to human beings.

Together we pray: Sacred Heart of Jesus, we place all our trust in Thee.

YOU were made to rise, just as the paralytic did. Let us contemplate this as we listen to “Rise”.

Rise – Danny Gokey [VIDEO – click on the play icon to start]

Together we pray: Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make our hearts like unto Thine.

Please support our exciting and brand-new not-for-profit initiative: The Gethsemane Institute. This Institute will be a charitable foundation and support all the work we do at Catholic Holy Hour… and also empower important new initiatives! For more about what we’re building click here: All donations are 100 % tax-deductible. We are running a pledge drive called Heart to Heart and ask you to prayerfully consider donating as much as you are able to.

Can you please give at least $27 (in honor of the 27th of June …June 27th is the Feast of the Sacred Heart!) to help support our new Institute and Foundation? If you are able to give more we will be forever grateful.  You can enter a custom amount if you’d like. We welcome and are deeply grateful for every dollar, which makes such a difference.  We cannot do this without you!!! Please help us in our efforts to spread devotion to the Sacred Heart in Gethsemane and to realize powerful goals we have set out to achieve, which you can read more about here.

If you missed any of these Heart to Heart Mini Retreats?
Find them all here
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Donation and Membership Levels

  • $27-$100 Guardian: All Guardian Donors will receive the 33-Day Consecration to the Sacred Heart podcast.
  • $101-$200 Consoler: All Consolers will receive the 33-Day Consecration to the Sacred Heart and the 9-Day Novena to saints Martha & Mary podcast.
  • $201-$300 Angel: All Angels will receive the 33-Day Consecration to the Sacred Heart podcast and the 9-Day Novena to saints Martha & Mary podcast. Angels will also receive a personalized author-signed copy of Awake with Christ.
  • $301-$499: Seraphim: All Seraphim will receive the 33-Day Consecration to the Sacred Heart podcast and the 9-Day Novena to saints Martha & Mary podcast, a personalized author-signed copy of Awake with Christ, as well as a personally author-signed copy of Sacred Braille: The Rosary as Masterpiece.
  • $500-$999: Awake Apostle of Gethsemane: Your gift of $500 or more makes you a Member of the Awake Apostles of Gethsemane Guild. All members at this level receive all of the above privileges plus a personalized author-signed copy of The Host of Gethsemane. Guild members will be listed as a Founding Member on our Awake Apostles of Gethsemane Guild page.
  • $1000: Cornerstone Guild: Members at this level receive all of the above privileges plus a personalized author-signed copy of Our House of the Sacred Heart. Guild members will be listed as a Founding Member on our Cornerstone Guild page. As a Cornerstone Guild member, you will receive discounts and early access on all classes, courses, retreats, and events sponsored by the Gethsemane Institute.