“The Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins.”
It should be no shock that Lord has the power on earth to forgive sins. For from the first chapter of this Gospel we are told, “she will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
Despite what was stated of Jesus from the start of the Gospel of Matthew to this Gospel passage there was never a time where Christ spoke of His ability to forgive sin. He would heal those who had fevers and cast out demons from those who were sick. Nevertheless, sin was never mentioned until this paralytic who was brought before Him.
The word for sin that is used here is literally translated as “to miss the mark.” Whenever we sin this is what we do. The mark has been set before us, but through sin we shoot all the way around it without hitting it. The mark of our life is God and entering into communion with Him. Sin is not to make a mistake or to break a rule, but is to fail to live up to our purpose. As the Baltimore Catechism attests to why God made us, “God made me to know him, to love him, and to serve him in this world and to be happy with him forever in the next.”
If this ultimate goal is to be made manifest within us than we must come to acknowledge Christ as our Lord and Savior. Those who were with Him were used to His healings, but up to this moment had not understood His ability to forgive sin. Some looked upon this situation and exclaimed that “He blasphemeth.” They did this because He went above and beyond what they had expected to take place.
When the Lord looked upon this man He saw his need to be healed not only bodily, but spiritually. Therefore, He forgave his sins. The man was then instructed to “arise, take up thy bed, and go into thy house.”
In such manner we are sinners who are in need of the infinite mercy of the Lord. He desires to look upon us in order that we may receive the forgiveness of sins. Whenever we have the opportunity to participate in the Sacrament of Confession we do this. We come before the Lord who breathed upon His apostles instructing, “Who’s sins you forgive are forgiven and who’s sins you retained are retained.”
Let each of us be willing to encounter the mercy of God day in and day out. May we be sent forth not to miss the mark, but reach our ultimate purpose. We can only do this if we allow the Lord to enter into our life in order that healing may be brought about. Let us never impede the mercy of God, but be found receptive of this healing mercy always.
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