13th Week in Ord. Time, Thursday – 1st July 2021 — Gospel: Mt 9,1-8
Source of Forgiveness
Jesus sensed what was going on in the minds of those scribes, who had gathered round him. He questioned them with either or choice: Which is easier to say, forgive sins or arise and walk? Of course, the easier thing to say is forgiveness, because no visible proof is needed. It is harder to say a healing word because truth or falsehood can be instantly verified. Similarly, both are humanly impossible to do. The results of the first command are not visible whereas the effects of the second are immediately discernible. However, the visible healing of the paralytic was designed to confirm that the man’s sins had been forgiven, an invisible miracle. This is the significance of the miracle which the scribes had completely missed. From this they should have realized that what they had witnessed was not a demonstration of God giving authority to men but of God’s presence dwelling among men in the person of the Lord Jesus. Jesus has acted not as a channel of forgiveness but as its source.
