Your sins are forgiven

Welcome to my blog.

The Catholic Church under the inspiration of the Spirit provides us with daily readings from the Holy Scriptures. If we reflect upon them listening to Spirit who inspired the authors, we will receive the spiritual nourishment we need for our daily life.

I give them here, with a short prayerful reflection. May they help you on your journey through life.

Thursday 2 July 2020

Your sins are forgiven

Ps 46: 2

All peoples, clap your hands.

Cry to God with shouts of joy!

____________________

Prayer

Father in heaven, in Baptism you recreated us

in Jesus as your children and we became

children of light in a world of darkness.

Grant that we may never go back to the darkness

of unbelief and error, but remain for ever in the light of your truth.

We make our prayer through your Son,

Christ Jesus, our Lord.

First reading

Amos 7:10-17 ·

Go, prophesy to my people Israel.

Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent word to Jeroboam, king of Israel: “Amos has conspired against you here within Israel; the country cannot endure all his words. For this is what Amos says:

Jeroboam shall die by the sword,

and Israel shall surely be exiled from its land.”

To Amos, Amaziah said: “Off with you, visionary, flee to the land of Judah! There earn your bread by prophesying, but never again prophesy in Bethel; for it is the king’s sanctuary and a royal temple.” Amos answered Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor have I belonged to a company of prophets; I was a shepherd and a dresser of sycamores. The Lord took me from following the flock, and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ Now hear the word of the Lord!”

You say: prophesy not against Israel,

preach not against the house of Isaac.

Now thus says the Lord:

Your wife shall be made a harlot in the city,

and your sons and daughters shall fall by the sword;

Your land shall be divided by measuring line,

and you yourself shall die in an unclean land;

Israel shall be exiled far from its land. THE WORD OF THE LORD

Prayerful reflection

When reading the Bible, we should know the original context in which the passage was written. The prophets were writing for the people of their time. However, that is not enough. St. Paul tells us that ‘all Scripture is inspired and useful for our instruction’. So we read it, listening to what the Holy Spirit, who first inspired the author, is inspiring us too. I should read the Scripture with my ears open for the Word of God for me today for my life.

The people in the northern kingdom had the sanctuary to Yahweh at Bethel and there were elaborate services going on there. But it was mere religiosity. Tinsel, not real jewellery. In their daily life, they ignored God and did as they liked. The rich oppressed the poor, and there was no regard for God’s Law given through Moses. The prophets knew as St. Paul will teach later, the wages for sin are death. Hence, Amos proclaims the unpleasant message, ‘if you do not change your ways, you are courting death and destruction. You will be taken into captivity in exile and be lost forever’. Unfortunately, this is what happened in 721 BC.

The message is the same for us today. To abandon God and do as we like is to follow in the footsteps of the people of Samaria. This applies to individuals and well as nations. Are you reconciled with God? Do you pray for the people of your country and for the world?

Psalm

Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11

The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.

The law of the Lord is perfect,

refreshing the soul;

The decree of the Lord is trustworthy,

giving wisdom to the simple.

The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.

The precepts of the Lord are right,

rejoicing the heart;

The command of the Lord is clear,

enlightening the eye.

The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.

The fear of the Lord is pure,

enduring forever;

The ordinances of the Lord are true,

all of them just.

The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.

They are more precious than gold,

than a heap of purest gold;

Sweeter also than syrup

or honey from the comb.

The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.

2 Corinthians 5:19

Alleluia, alleluia.

God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ

and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

Alleluia, alleluia.

____________________

Gospel

Matthew 9:1-8

They glorified God who had given such authority to men.

After entering a boat, Jesus made the crossing, and came into his own town. And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.” At that, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, “Why do you harbour evil thoughts? 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 then said to the paralytic, “Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” He rose and went home. When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe and glorified God who had given such authority to men. THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD

Prayerful reflection

This poor man’s root problem is sin. That is why Jesus tackles this first. Since he is repentant, then Jesus can forgive. He does it immediately, despite what others may think. Paralysis is a symbol for sin.  Jesus heals the reality and the symbol of the reality. He does with a word. ‘Rise, pick up stretcher and go home’. The people are amazed and glorified God for giving such power to men.

Jesus continues to give power to men to forgive sins. He has given it to his Church in which he lives till the end of time. We have the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Through this Sacrament, Jesus forgives every kind of sin for those who are repentant. He forgives and administers his mercy through the ordained priest.

Do you experience the joy of the Sacrament?

Cf. Ps 102: 1

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

and all within me, his holy name.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, may our Baptism in which we offered our lives to you,

fill us with life so that we may always be bound to you

in everlasting love.

We make our prayer of you who

live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit

one God for ever and ever.