Thursday of the
Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 380
Lectionary: 380
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| GN 22:1B-19 |
God put Abraham to the test.
He called to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
Then God said: “Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love,
and go to the land of Moriah.
There you shall offer him up as a burnt offering
on a height that I will point out to you.”
Early the next morning Abraham saddled his donkey,
took with him his son Isaac, and two of his servants as well,
and with the wood that he had cut for the burnt offering,
set out for the place of which God had told him.
On the third day Abraham got sight of the place from afar.
Then he said to his servants: “Both of you stay here with the donkey,
while the boy and I go on over yonder.
We will worship and then come back to you.”
Thereupon Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering
and laid it on his son Isaac’s shoulders,
while he himself carried the fire and the knife.
As the two walked on together, Isaac spoke to his father Abraham:
“Father!” he said.
“Yes, son,” he replied.
Isaac continued, “Here are the fire and the wood,
but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?”
“Son,” Abraham answered,
“God himself will provide the sheep for the burnt offering.”
Then the two continued going forward.
When they came to the place of which God had told him,
Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it.
Next he tied up his son Isaac,
and put him on top of the wood on the altar.
Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.
But the LORD’s messenger called to him from heaven,
“Abraham, Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he answered.
“Do not lay your hand on the boy,” said the messenger.
“Do not do the least thing to him.
I know now how devoted you are to God,
since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son.”
As Abraham looked about,
he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket.
So he went and took the ram
and offered it up as a burnt offering in place of his son.
Abraham named the site Yahweh-yireh;
hence people now say, “On the mountain the LORD will see.”
Again the LORD’s messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said:
“I swear by myself, declares the LORD,
that because you acted as you did
in not withholding from me your beloved son,
I will bless you abundantly
and make your descendants as countless
as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore;
your descendants shall take possession
of the gates of their enemies,
and in your descendants all the nations of the earth
shall find blessing—all this because you obeyed my command.”
Abraham then returned to his servants,
and they set out together for Beer-sheba,
where Abraham made his home.
He called to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
Then God said: “Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love,
and go to the land of Moriah.
There you shall offer him up as a burnt offering
on a height that I will point out to you.”
Early the next morning Abraham saddled his donkey,
took with him his son Isaac, and two of his servants as well,
and with the wood that he had cut for the burnt offering,
set out for the place of which God had told him.
On the third day Abraham got sight of the place from afar.
Then he said to his servants: “Both of you stay here with the donkey,
while the boy and I go on over yonder.
We will worship and then come back to you.”
Thereupon Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering
and laid it on his son Isaac’s shoulders,
while he himself carried the fire and the knife.
As the two walked on together, Isaac spoke to his father Abraham:
“Father!” he said.
“Yes, son,” he replied.
Isaac continued, “Here are the fire and the wood,
but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?”
“Son,” Abraham answered,
“God himself will provide the sheep for the burnt offering.”
Then the two continued going forward.
When they came to the place of which God had told him,
Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it.
Next he tied up his son Isaac,
and put him on top of the wood on the altar.
Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.
But the LORD’s messenger called to him from heaven,
“Abraham, Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he answered.
“Do not lay your hand on the boy,” said the messenger.
“Do not do the least thing to him.
I know now how devoted you are to God,
since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son.”
As Abraham looked about,
he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket.
So he went and took the ram
and offered it up as a burnt offering in place of his son.
Abraham named the site Yahweh-yireh;
hence people now say, “On the mountain the LORD will see.”
Again the LORD’s messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said:
“I swear by myself, declares the LORD,
that because you acted as you did
in not withholding from me your beloved son,
I will bless you abundantly
and make your descendants as countless
as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore;
your descendants shall take possession
of the gates of their enemies,
and in your descendants all the nations of the earth
shall find blessing—all this because you obeyed my command.”
Abraham then returned to his servants,
and they set out together for Beer-sheba,
where Abraham made his home.
Responsorial PsalmPS 115:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
R. (9) I
will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Not to us, O LORD, not to us
but to your name give glory
because of your kindness, because of your truth.
Why should the pagans say,
“Where is their God?”
R. I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Our God is in heaven;
whatever he wills, he does.
Their idols are silver and gold,
the handiwork of men.
R. I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
They have mouths but speak not;
they have eyes but see not;
They have ears but hear not;
they have noses but smell not.
R. I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Their makers shall be like them,
everyone who trusts in them.
The house of Israel trusts in the LORD;
he is their help and their shield.
R. I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Not to us, O LORD, not to us
but to your name give glory
because of your kindness, because of your truth.
Why should the pagans say,
“Where is their God?”
R. I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Our God is in heaven;
whatever he wills, he does.
Their idols are silver and gold,
the handiwork of men.
R. I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
They have mouths but speak not;
they have eyes but see not;
They have ears but hear not;
they have noses but smell not.
R. I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Their makers shall be like them,
everyone who trusts in them.
The house of Israel trusts in the LORD;
he is their help and their shield.
R. I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
GospelMT 9:1-8
After entering a boat, Jesus 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 men.
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 men.
Meditation: "Why
do you think evil in your hearts?"
What cripples the mind and
heart and stiffles the healing power of love? Sin and unforgiveness for
certain! Sin cripples us more than any physical ailment can. Sin is the work of
the kingdom of darkness and it holds us in eternal bondage. There is only one
solution and that is the healing, cleansing power of Jesus' forgiveness. Jesus’
treatment of sinners upset the religious teachers of the day. When a cripple
was brought to Jesus because of the faith of his friends, Jesus did the
unthinkable. He first forgave the man his sins. The scribes regarded this as
blasphemy because they understood that only God had authority to forgive sins
and to unbind a man or woman from their burden of guilt. Jesus claimed an
authority which only God could rightfully give. Jesus not only proved that his
authority came from God, he showed the great power of God's redeeming love and
mercy by healing the cripple of his physical ailment. This man had been
crippled not only physically, but spiritually as well. Jesus freed him from his
burden of guilt and restored his body as well.The Lord is every ready to bring us healing of mind, body, and soul. His grace brings us freedom from the power of sin and from bondage to harmful desires and addictions. Do you allow anything to keep you from Jesus' healing power?
"Lord Jesus, through your merciful love and forgiveness you bring healing and restoration to body, mind, and soul. May your healing power and love touch every area of my life – my innermost thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and memories. Pardon my offences and transform me in the power of your Holy Spirit that I may walk confidently in your truth and goodness."
 Fathoming Christ’s Mercy |
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Thursday of the
Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
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Matthew 9:1-8
After entering a
boat, Jesus 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 men.
Introductory Prayer: Lord, I come to you in this meditation ready to do whatever it
is you ask. Left to myself I often take the easy and convenient path, yet I
know the way of a Christian is through the narrow gate. In you I find the
reason to abandon the easy path for a more perfect mission of love. I’m ready
to learn the meaning of your command: “Follow me.”
Petition: Lord, grant me a deeper experience of your
mercy.
1. Crippled by
Control: For St. Jerome,
physical paralysis is an image of man’s inability to return to God by his own
efforts. It is man’s inability to create his own salvation, to set the terms
by which he can say he has made peace with God. The paralysis is meant to
speak more to the Pharisees about their souls than to the cripple who bears
it. Christ saw stagnation in the Pharisees’ hearts. They wanted to put God in
a box, where their relationship with him could neatly accommodate their
status and comforts. We, like the Pharisees, like our routine. We like to
coast in our spiritual life and dislike having to adjust to God’s asking for
more faith, trust or charity. For saintly souls, Christ is ever new; they are
always being asked for more, and new experiences of Christ fill them as a
result. Their love never goes stale since they refuse to control what God can
do with them.
2. The Only
Real Problem Is Sin: The
paralytic and his companions arrive concerned only about his physical
condition. This is not, however, what is first on Christ’s priority list.
What is first, rather, is the man’s state of soul. For God the problem of
life is not about problems. Problems are merely the pretexts he sends us to
heal and develop our relationship with him: “Your sins are forgiven.” The
problem of life is all about holiness and about removing the chief obstacle
to holiness: sin. Deep down, the only things that can hurt us are the
obstacles of sin and an egoistic lifestyle.
3. Awaiting
God’s Replies: The pause between
“Courage, child, your sins are forgiven you” and the cure of the paralysis
initially may have caused disappointment in those unfamiliar with Christ’s
way of working. In that wait our response to God comes, and our part in the
plan of salvation is played out. Instant gratification of a child’s wants
spoils the meaning of his parents’ gift of loving support. To arrive to
Christian maturity, we must form the virtues of faith and trust. Seeking
cures must be sought more as part of God’s will than as our own self-centered
relief effort. This takes time. Yet even in that pause, in the dark night of
faith, something is happening. While miracles are on the way, we are being changed.
The command to rise seems only to confirm or make visible something that has
already occurred in the paralytic’s soul: through faith and trust, Christ
reigns over his soul.
Conversation with
Christ: Lord, I know that in
you alone I shall rise, because only you can conquer sin in me. For my part,
like St. Paul, I have sought to fight the good fight, strengthened by your
grace and mercy. Help me to accept every difficulty as a new chance to purify
my heart and sanctify my soul.
Resolution: Today I will remember to avoid rash and
judgmental thoughts of others. As I do so I will keep in my heart the
merciful dispositions of Christ’s heart.
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THURSDAY, JULY 4
MATTHEW 9:1-8
MATTHEW 9:1-8
(Genesis 22:1b-19; Psalm 115)
KEY VERSE: "Which is it easier, to say, `Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, `Rise and walk'?" (v 5).
READING: When Jesus returned to Capernaum, some people brought a paralytic on a stretcher to him in hopes that he would be healed. In Jesus' day, sickness or misfortune were seen as the consequence of sin. Jesus looked beyond the man's physical infirmity. He saw his need for spiritual healing and granted him forgiveness. The religious leaders were scandalized by Jesus' claim to have authority over sin. Jesus offered them proof of his power by telling the man to rise and walk. If the man's paralysis was due to sin, according to their theology, and he was now cured, then his sins must have been forgiven. When the paralytic rose from his bed and walked, the people were amazed that God had given such authority to human beings. The Church continues to exercise this power of forgiveness in the Sacrament of Penance (also known as the Sacrament of Reconciliation). The sacrament has three elements: conversion, confession and celebration. By confessing our sins we find God's unconditional forgiveness, and a call to forgive others.
REFLECTING: Have I experienced the healing power of reconciliation?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, I thank you for forgiving my sins and healing me.
July 4 (U.S.A.)
Independence Day
Independence Day is celebrated on July 4th as America's official split from Britain's rule and the beginning of the American Revolution. The original resolution was introduced by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia on June 7, 1776. Three days later a committee headed by Thomas Jefferson was appointed to prepare an appropriate writing for the occasion. The document that we know as the Declaration of Independence was adopted by Congress on July 4th although the resolution that led to the writing of the Declaration was actually approved two days earlier.
Francis Bellamy (1855 - 1931), a Baptist minister, wrote the original Pledge of Allegiance in August 1892. In 1954, after a campaign by the Knights of Columbus, Congress added the words, 'under God,' to the Pledge. The Pledge is now both a patriotic oath and a public prayer. I Pledge Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
President John F. Kennedy declared in his Inaugural address January 20, 1961:
"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall
pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose
any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty."
I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living
'Rise and walk.'I was a guest at the home of a dear young friend, who happens to have suffered quadriplegia. At dawn, he called me to his bedroom and requested that I pull up the bed covers! His humility stirred my heart and I gave thanks for all my healthy faculties. The same lad taught me the intricacies of rugby league (at 70 I was new to the game!).
It is said that there is magic in action and this is testified in the gospel of today. The four friends carry the inert body of their friend up onto the roof and Jesus sees their faith. Not only is the paralytic man given strength, but the assembled crowd are witness to the glory of God, at Jesus's word. Each of us can increase our faith in God's care, by using the examen at a special time of day.
July
4
St. Elizabeth of Portugal
(1271-1336)
St. Elizabeth of Portugal
(1271-1336)
Elizabeth is usually depicted in royal garb with a dove or an
olive branch. At her birth in 1271, her father, Pedro III, future king of
Aragon, was reconciled with his father, James, the reigning monarch. This
proved to be a portent of things to come. Under the healthful influences surrounding
her early years, she quickly learned self-discipline and acquired a taste for
spirituality. Thus fortunately prepared, she was able to meet the challenge
when, at the age of 12, she was given in marriage to Denis, king of Portugal.
She was able to establish for herself a pattern of life conducive to growth in
God’s love, not merely through her exercises of piety, including daily Mass,
but also through her exercise of charity, by which she was able to befriend and
help pilgrims, strangers, the sick, the poor—in a word, all those whose need
came to her notice. At the same time she remained devoted to her husband, whose
infidelity to her was a scandal to the kingdom.
He, too, was the object of many of her peace endeavors. She long
sought peace for him with God, and was finally rewarded when he gave up his
life of sin. She repeatedly sought and effected peace between the king and
their rebellious son, Alfonso, who thought that he was passed over to favor the
king’s illegitimate children. She acted as peacemaker in the struggle between
Ferdinand, king of Aragon, and his cousin James, who claimed the crown. And
finally from Coimbra, where she had retired as a Franciscan tertiary to the
monastery of the Poor Clares after the death of her husband, she set out and
was able to bring about a lasting peace between her son Alfonso, now king of
Portugal, and his son-in-law, the king of Castile.
Stories:
Elizabeth was not well enough to undertake her
final peacemaking journey, made all the more difficult by the oppressive heat
of the season. She would not, however, permit herself to be dissuaded from it.
She answered that there was no better way to give of her life and her health
than by averting the miseries and destruction of war. By the time she had
successfully brought about peace, she was so sick that death was imminent.
After her death in 1336, her body was returned to the monastery at Coimbra for
burial.
Comment:
The work of promoting peace is anything but a calm and quiet endeavor. It takes a clear mind, a steady spirit and a brave soul to intervene between people whose emotions are so aroused that they are ready to destroy one another. This is all the more true of a woman in the early 14th century. But Elizabeth had a deep and sincere love and sympathy for humankind, almost a total lack of concern for herself and an abiding confidence in God. These were the tools of her success.
The work of promoting peace is anything but a calm and quiet endeavor. It takes a clear mind, a steady spirit and a brave soul to intervene between people whose emotions are so aroused that they are ready to destroy one another. This is all the more true of a woman in the early 14th century. But Elizabeth had a deep and sincere love and sympathy for humankind, almost a total lack of concern for herself and an abiding confidence in God. These were the tools of her success.
LECTIO: MATTHEW 9,1-8
Lectio:
Thursday, July
4, 2013
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Father,
you call your children
to walk in the light of Christ.
Free us from darkness
and keep us in the radiance of your truth.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
1) Opening prayer
Father,
you call your children
to walk in the light of Christ.
Free us from darkness
and keep us in the radiance of your truth.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading -
Matthew 9,1-8
Jesus got back in the boat, crossed the water and came to his home town. And suddenly some people brought him a paralytic stretched out on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, 'Take comfort, my child, your sins are forgiven.'
And now some scribes said to themselves, 'This man is being blasphemous.' Knowing what was in their minds Jesus said, 'Why do you have such wicked thoughts in your hearts? Now, which of these is easier: to say, "Your sins are forgiven," or to say, "Get up and walk"? But to prove to you that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins,' -- then he said to the paralytic-'get up, pick up your bed and go off home.'
And the man got up and went home. A feeling of awe came over the crowd when they saw this, and they praised God for having given such authority to human beings.
Jesus got back in the boat, crossed the water and came to his home town. And suddenly some people brought him a paralytic stretched out on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, 'Take comfort, my child, your sins are forgiven.'
And now some scribes said to themselves, 'This man is being blasphemous.' Knowing what was in their minds Jesus said, 'Why do you have such wicked thoughts in your hearts? Now, which of these is easier: to say, "Your sins are forgiven," or to say, "Get up and walk"? But to prove to you that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins,' -- then he said to the paralytic-'get up, pick up your bed and go off home.'
And the man got up and went home. A feeling of awe came over the crowd when they saw this, and they praised God for having given such authority to human beings.
3) Reflection
• The extraordinary authority of Jesus. To the reader, Jesus appears as a person invested with extraordinary authority, by means of the words and actions (Mt 9, 6.8). The authoritative word of Jesus strikes evil at its root: in the case of the paralytic man on sin that affects the man in his liberty and blocks him in his living forces: “Your sins are forgiven” (v. 5); “”Get up pick up your bed and go off home” (v.6). Truly all the forms of paralysis of the heart and the mind to which we are subject are cancelled by the authority of Jesus (9, 6), because during his life on earth he met all these forms. The authoritative and effective word of Jesus awakens the paralyzed humanity (9, 5-7) and gives it the gift of walking (9, 6) in a renewed faith
• The encounter with the paralytic. After the storm and a visit in the country of the Gadarenes, Jesus returns to Capernaum, his city. And as he was on his way, he met the paralytic. The healing did not take place in a house, but along the road. Therefore, along the road that leads to Capernaum they brought him a paralytic man. Jesus addresses him calling him “my son”, a gesture of attention that soon becomes a gesture of salvation: “your sins are forgiven you” (v. 2) The forgiveness of sins which Jesus pronounces on the part of God on the paralytic refers to the bond between sickness, failure and sin. This is the first time that the evangelist attributes this particular divine power to Jesus, in an explicit way. For the Jews the sickness of a man was considered a punishment because of sins committed; The physical illness was considered always as a consequence of one’s own moral evil or due to parents (Jn 9, 2). Jesus restores to man the condition of salvation freeing him from illness as well as from sin.
• For some of those who were present, for the Scribes, the words of Jesus which announce forgiveness of sins is a true and proper blasphemy. According to them Jesus is arrogant because God alone can forgive sins. They do not manifest openly such a judgment of Jesus but express it by murmuring among themselves. Jesus who penetrates their hearts sees their considerations and reproves them because of their unbelief. The expression of Jesus “To prove to you that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins...” (v. 6) he is going to indicate that not only God can forgive sins, but with Jesus, also man (Gnilka).
• The crowd, differently from the Scribes, is seized by fear before the cure of the paralytic and glorifies God. The crowd is struck by the power to forgive sins manifested in the healing. People exult because God has granted such a power to the Son of man. Is it possible to attribute this to the ecclesial community where forgiveness of sins was granted on the order of Jesus? Matthew has presented this episode on forgiveness of sins with the intention of applying it to fraternal relationships within the ecclesial community. In it the practice to forgive sins, by delegation of Jesus, was already in force; a practice which was not shared in the Synagogue. The theme of forgiveness of sins is repeated also in Mt 18 and at the end of the Gospel it is affirmed that this is rooted in the death of Jesus on the Cross (26, 28). But in our context the forgiveness of sins is linked with the demand of mercy present in the episode which follows, the vocation of Matthew: «…mercy is what pleases me, not sacrifice. And indeed, I came to call not the upright but sinners” (Mt 9, 13). Such words of Jesus intend to say that He has made visible the forgiveness of God; above all, in his relationships with the Publicans or tax collectors and sinners, in sitting at table with them.
• This account that takes up again the problem of sin and reminds of the bond with the misery of man is something to be practiced in the forgiveness which should be given, but it is a story that should occupy a privileged place in the preaching of our ecclesial communities.
• The extraordinary authority of Jesus. To the reader, Jesus appears as a person invested with extraordinary authority, by means of the words and actions (Mt 9, 6.8). The authoritative word of Jesus strikes evil at its root: in the case of the paralytic man on sin that affects the man in his liberty and blocks him in his living forces: “Your sins are forgiven” (v. 5); “”Get up pick up your bed and go off home” (v.6). Truly all the forms of paralysis of the heart and the mind to which we are subject are cancelled by the authority of Jesus (9, 6), because during his life on earth he met all these forms. The authoritative and effective word of Jesus awakens the paralyzed humanity (9, 5-7) and gives it the gift of walking (9, 6) in a renewed faith
• The encounter with the paralytic. After the storm and a visit in the country of the Gadarenes, Jesus returns to Capernaum, his city. And as he was on his way, he met the paralytic. The healing did not take place in a house, but along the road. Therefore, along the road that leads to Capernaum they brought him a paralytic man. Jesus addresses him calling him “my son”, a gesture of attention that soon becomes a gesture of salvation: “your sins are forgiven you” (v. 2) The forgiveness of sins which Jesus pronounces on the part of God on the paralytic refers to the bond between sickness, failure and sin. This is the first time that the evangelist attributes this particular divine power to Jesus, in an explicit way. For the Jews the sickness of a man was considered a punishment because of sins committed; The physical illness was considered always as a consequence of one’s own moral evil or due to parents (Jn 9, 2). Jesus restores to man the condition of salvation freeing him from illness as well as from sin.
• For some of those who were present, for the Scribes, the words of Jesus which announce forgiveness of sins is a true and proper blasphemy. According to them Jesus is arrogant because God alone can forgive sins. They do not manifest openly such a judgment of Jesus but express it by murmuring among themselves. Jesus who penetrates their hearts sees their considerations and reproves them because of their unbelief. The expression of Jesus “To prove to you that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins...” (v. 6) he is going to indicate that not only God can forgive sins, but with Jesus, also man (Gnilka).
• The crowd, differently from the Scribes, is seized by fear before the cure of the paralytic and glorifies God. The crowd is struck by the power to forgive sins manifested in the healing. People exult because God has granted such a power to the Son of man. Is it possible to attribute this to the ecclesial community where forgiveness of sins was granted on the order of Jesus? Matthew has presented this episode on forgiveness of sins with the intention of applying it to fraternal relationships within the ecclesial community. In it the practice to forgive sins, by delegation of Jesus, was already in force; a practice which was not shared in the Synagogue. The theme of forgiveness of sins is repeated also in Mt 18 and at the end of the Gospel it is affirmed that this is rooted in the death of Jesus on the Cross (26, 28). But in our context the forgiveness of sins is linked with the demand of mercy present in the episode which follows, the vocation of Matthew: «…mercy is what pleases me, not sacrifice. And indeed, I came to call not the upright but sinners” (Mt 9, 13). Such words of Jesus intend to say that He has made visible the forgiveness of God; above all, in his relationships with the Publicans or tax collectors and sinners, in sitting at table with them.
• This account that takes up again the problem of sin and reminds of the bond with the misery of man is something to be practiced in the forgiveness which should be given, but it is a story that should occupy a privileged place in the preaching of our ecclesial communities.
4) Personal questions
• Are you convinced that Jesus, called the friend of sinners, does not despise your weaknesses and your resistance, but he understands and offers you the necessary help to live a life in harmony with God and with the brothers and sisters?
• When you make the experience of betraying or refusing friendship with God do you have recourse to the Sacrament of reconciliation that reconciles you with the Father and with the Church and makes you a new creature by the force of the Holy Spirit?
• Are you convinced that Jesus, called the friend of sinners, does not despise your weaknesses and your resistance, but he understands and offers you the necessary help to live a life in harmony with God and with the brothers and sisters?
• When you make the experience of betraying or refusing friendship with God do you have recourse to the Sacrament of reconciliation that reconciles you with the Father and with the Church and makes you a new creature by the force of the Holy Spirit?
5) Concluding Prayer
The precepts of Yahweh are honest,
joy for the heart;
the commandment of Yahweh is pure,
light for the eyes. (Ps 19,8)
The precepts of Yahweh are honest,
joy for the heart;
the commandment of Yahweh is pure,
light for the eyes. (Ps 19,8)
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