they lowered him on his mat into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith,
he said to the man, “My friend, your sins are forgiven.” At once the teachers of the law and the Pharisees began to wonder,
“This man insults God! Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” But Jesus knew their thoughts and asked them,
“Why are you reacting like this? Which is easier to say: ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or ‘Get up and walk’? Now you shall know,
that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” And Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.”
At once, the man stood before them. He took up the mat he had been lying on, and went home praising God.
Amazement seized the people and they praised God. They were filled with a holy fear, and said,
“What wonderful things we have seen today!”
REFLECTION:
Today the prophet Isaiah announces the coming of the Redeemer who will pass through the wilderness to build
“The Way of Holiness!” The Redeemer will indeed come to call sinners, not to punish them but to save them! Our God we await is a Savior!
When, therefore, Jesus in the Gospel saves the paralytic by first forgiving him his sins before curing him,
those who witnessed this miracle cried out “What wonderful things we have seen today!”
The Way of Holiness that Isaiah prophesied is the way of mercy of Jesus revealed in today’s Gospel.
How beautiful then is our Christmas carol, O Holy Night, where we pray:
Long lay the world
in sin and error pining
Till He appeared and the soul
felt its worth
A thrill of hope
the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks
A new and glorious morn
St. Ambrose, our Saint of today would announce this good news of a Savior to one of the world’s
greatest sinners who would become one of the Church’s greatest Saint, St. Augustine! Dear fellow sinners,
we have hope to become saints for we have a great Savior!
Thus, Christmas cannot be imagined without the Virgin Mother! How wonderful that during the Advent season holy mother Church lets us contemplate Mary’s role in the Divine Drama!
© Copyright Bible Diary 2020