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Gospel: 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.
The Gospel of the Lord.
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“Take courage, child, your sins are forgiven.”
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As nice as that sounds – the forgiveness of sins – the scribes don’t seem to care. All they see is a man paralyzed, lying on a stretcher!
If Jesus is the miracle worker he claims to be, then why not heal the paralyzed man’s body?
The scribes only see what many do – that which is physical.
But Jesus sees beneath the surface. He sees this man’s soul – not only the goodness within him, but also the times and places where he’s fallen short and remains in need of God’s forgiveness.
The day will come when this man’s body, although miraculously healed today, is placed in the earth. But his soul – freshly purified by Christ – will live forever.
That’s the greatest miracle, a miracle that Christ promises to all who believe in him – eternal life.
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While it’s a beautiful thing to heal a person’s body, Christ the Teacher draws us deeper, encouraging us to remember what matters most – not our physical, but our spiritual, life.
Is there any part of my life that remains paralyzed by sin and needs to be healed?
It could be a particular fear, memory, or habit.
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We place these things before Jesus, asking him to say to us what he once said to that man:
“Take courage, child, your sins are forgiven.”
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Image credits: (1) LetterPile (2) St. Paul University Iloilo (3) Archdiocese of Malta