February 19, 2012
The Scriptures at a Glance:
First Reading: Isaiah 43:18-19, 21-22, 24b-25
Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; see, I am doing something new!
Psalm: Psalm 41
Lord, heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 1:18-22
God has given the Spirit in our hearts as a first installment.
The Gospel: Mark 2:1-12
They were all astounded and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”
That must have sounded strange to the people, hearing Jesus say, “Your sins are forgiven.” Since sins were an offense against God, only God could forgive them. Is Jesus saying the man was paralyzed as punishment for his sins?
No, Jesus says it to help the man, who probably was told too many times that he was a sinner. Jesus reassures the man–and scandalizes the scribes–by declaring him forgiven. Jesus’ point is that if he can cure the paralyzed man, he can also forgive sins. He fulfills the promise of the first reading: God is doing something new–forgiving sins. The primary way we experience forgiveness is through the sacrament of reconciliation. The words of absolution are our guarantee that God has forgiven our sins. While there is nothing wrong with asking God’s forgiveness in private prayer, we sometimes need to hear someone tell us we have been forgiven, especially when our sins are more serious.
Now you don’t have to be a priest to forgive someone who hurts you. Jesus commands this when he tells us, “If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24). If the brother is truly sorry, God will forgive him, too. And if you’re the one who needs forgiveness, you’ve shown you are sorry by making up with your brother. Tom Schmidt, Copyright (c) J. S. Paluch Co.
