Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?”

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 5:17-26

 

One day as Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there, and the power of the Lord was with him for healing.  And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed; they were trying to bring him in and set him in his presence.  But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle in front of Jesus.  When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “As for you, your sins are forgiven.”  Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies?  Who but God alone can forgive sins?”  Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply, “What are you thinking in your hearts?  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 said to the one who was paralyzed, “I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”  He stood up immediately before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God.  Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and, struck with awe, they said, “We have seen incredible things today.”

 

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus is teaching a crowd of people including Pharisees and teachers of the law. The Pharisees and scribes were the most knowledgeable of all the Jews. They knew what was and what was not allowed by Jewish law and tradition.  Putting yourself in the shoes of God was the most sever of all violations of the Mosaic Law.  They began to question Jesus, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies?  Who but God alone can forgive sins?” They question him and accuse him because they do not understand who Jesus is.  In reply he says, “Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?” At that moment, Jesus cured the paralyzed man to demonstrate his Messiahship.

 

This story has so many teachings. First, Jesus is moved by the faith of the group of men that brought him the paralyzed man. These men had to overcome a number of  burdens to bring their friend to God. They had to load the paralyzed man on a bed and carry him to Jesus. Once they got there, the entrance to house was blocked so they crawled up on the roof with the paralyzed man, cut a hole in the roof and lowered the man down to Jesus. These acts demonstrate the true determination of these men to overcome all obstacles just to get in front of God. Nothing was going to prevent them from their mission to place their friend next to Christ. So what did Christ do to reward these men? He did not heal the man, which was the mission of their journey, but instead, he healed them of their sins.  I think the better question we must ask ourselves, “What is more important, your sins to be forgiven, or  to rise up and walk?” Jesus knows what inflictions truly cripple us. It was important to forgive these men so their hearts would be pure so that they could be set free from the things that paralyze their hearts.

 

The Pharisees were not happy at what they witnessed because only God can forgive someone for their sins. They accused Jesus of blasphemy. What little faith these Pharisees had. Even listening to Jesus, they did not recognize who he was. To reveal himself to the Pharisees and scribes he replied to them, “Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?” He then turned to the paralyzed man and freed him from the burden of the stretcher. After performing the miracle “astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and, struck with awe, they said, ‘We have seen incredible things today.’”  How often do we see miracles in our life?  Do we have the same response?  When God moves us or wows us, do we reply with the same enthusiasm?  Jesus came to free us from our sins. He came to reveal himself to man by performing miracles, allowing the blind to see and the paralyzed to walk. Sins separate us from God. They make us unable to see and walk with God in his glory. What ailment was a greater concern to the paralyzed man, his sins or his physical paralysis? Obviously his sins would prevent him from walking in the kingdom of God. Therefore, Jesus cured the paralyzed man by forgiving his sins. What sins are blinding you and keeping you from walking with Christ? What are you willing to do to free yourself from those sins?

 

A Simple Prayer:

 

Lord God, you are the ultimate doctor.

You open my eyes and my ears so I can hear your words.

Allow me to see you and hear you.

 

Thanks

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon