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."
Dawg's thought:
Today's prayer intention is for those who are sick.
Are our souls ready to receive Our Lord?
The thought of Jesus being born is a nice thought that makes for good Christmas cards. It makes for nice paintings and nice scenes to recreate through figurines. It makes for good plays where children get to dress up and play The Holy Family.
I ask again: are our souls ready to receive Our Lord? Are we ready to receive Our Lord Who forgives our sins? Are we open to welcoming a God Who forgives the sins of a paralytic or do we just want to see the "good and happy" things.
The Advent season is full of preparation: buying presents, decorating tress, inviting family and friends to your home. What are you doing to prepare your soul? Are you like the Pharisees who aren't ready to give over their sins to Our Lord because of they are blinded?
Are you preparing your soul? Are you entering into this season more worried about sales and decorations? If you are, then today's reading is for you. Jesus has come to forgive our sins so that we can be restored in union and communion with Him.
This season, prepare your soul to receive Him and the gift of forgiveness that He brings. Take care and God Bless.
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