'Child, your sins are forgiven.' 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B



Readings (New American Bible: Philippines, USA)

Gospel Mark 2:1-12 (NAB)

When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it became known that he was at home. Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them, not even around the door, and he preached the word to them. They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.

Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him. After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Child, your sins are forgiven." Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves, "Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming. Who but God alone can forgive sins?"

Jesus immediately knew in his mind what they were thinking to themselves, so he said, "Why are you thinking such things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, pick up your mat and walk?' But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth" - he said to the paralytic, "I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home." He rose, picked up his mat at once, and went away in the sight of everyone. They were all astounded and glorified God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this."

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Fr John Looby SJ, editor  of the wonderful monthly of the Irish Jesuits, The Sacred Heart Messenger , told of an incident when he was a young priest. He was driving in a remote part of the west of Ireland when his car got bogged down after veering of a road that hardly anyone used. He stood by his car, wondering if anyone would come along who could help. Eventually a car came along and stopped. Out stepped four or five young men, aged about 20 or 21 who laughed when they saw his predicament. Then they went over to his car, picked it up, put it on the road. Then they got back into their own car, still laughing.

Jesus, seeing the faith of the four enterpising young men, responded in a way tha they and the paralysed man hadn't expected. Child, your sins are forgiven. When challenged about this he showed his authority to forgive sins by saying, I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home.
 

Dr Bernard N. Nathanson (31 July 1936 – 21 February 2011)

The late Dr Bernard Nathanson, a leading abortionist in the USA who later became a leader in the pro-life movement there, was baptised by Cardinal John O’Connor, Archbishop of New York, in 1996. Dr Nathanson was Jewish and had been an atheist. He was once asked why he had become a Catholic. He said that no religion provides as much opportunity for forgiveness as the Catholic Church does, and he had a lot to be forgiven for. This is the last Sunday before Lent, a season when the Church calls us to repentance, to accept responsibility for our own sins and to acknowledge God’s loving mercy. The Church has always carried on the mission of healing, both of body and soul. As a priest, I have experienced God’s love for us in our weakness and sinfulness, both as a confessor and as one confessing his own sins. I don’t know what I would do without being able to go to another priest, acknowledge my sins, especially since I seem to be telling the same ones each time. But I come away knowing that God loves me, that he wants only the best for me, that he wants me to go away with a spring in my step, like that of the young man he ordered to rise . . . and go home .