Courage, my child, your sins are forgiven

Gen. 22:1-19, Mt. 9:1-8. The story of the binding of Isaac, which Jewish tradition simply calls: “The Binding” (“Akedah”), is a real challenge to Christian interpreters. However, we can take consolation from the opening statement that gives us a hint that it was a test for Abraham. Today's first reading made us understand from the outset that it was never God’s will for human beings to kill other people as a form of worship. Abraham was sincere but misguided in thinking that God wanted human sacrifice. What an interesting contrast there is between the responses of Abraham and the Pharisees in today's Gospel, on learning that their first opinions were mistaken. The Pharisees were orthodox in their theology that only God can forgive sin – but misguided in thinking that forgiveness should not be dispensed on the Sabbath. It is clear that even the good intentions of Abraham and rigid ideas of the Pharisees cannot go unchallenged.

One of the most difficult tasks is to help good people see that they have room for improvement, or to show them a dark side of their character to which they are blind or help them to attain that which they are incapable of. What a true spirit of friendship is shown by the four men carrying their friend on a stretcher. They were determined to get their paralysed friend to Jesus, whatever it might take. When the crowds around Jesus were so large to get their friend to Him by the conventional route of the front door, they lifted him up onto the roof of the house and created an opening to lower their friend in front of Jesus. True friendship is the kind that opens up people to the presence of the Lord. The friends of the paralysed man certainly did that. It was a combination of goodwill and faith that led this man to Jesus. The energy behind their unorthodox actions was their love for their friend. When the man was lowered down into the room, it was the faith of his friends that Jesus recognised: “Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘Courage, my child, your sins are forgiven'.” Paul in Galatians speaks about faith working through love. These four friends model for us the faith that finds expression in love. Today we pray for an increase of such faith in our lives.

As we begin this new month, may the light of Christ rise in our hearts, may it shine forth in charity to the world and show His mercy to those who are sick! Amen!! Good morning and do have a fruitful month!!!