Daily Office Readings of Week One of Epiphany: Year 1
Morning, Psalm 18:1-20; Evening, Psalm 18:21-50;
Isaiah 41:17-29; Ephesians 2:11-22; Mark 2:1-12 :
“When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.” (Mark 2:5)
This action takes place after four friends tear open a roof in order to place their paralyzed friend before Jesus for healing.
I am absolutely convinced that Jesus takes the faith that is planted and developed in us and uses it to do good works. Almost every time we see Jesus doing a miracle he mentions the faith of the person or persons involved. This is amazing to me because although this faith is in us we are not equipped to make use of it ourselves. It is through prayer, in thought, word and/or deed that our request is made known to the Holy Spirit of the Incarnate Word of God and then God reaches inside us, uses our God-given spirit in us for the benefit of us. Wow!
I have seen this in action when one of my young parishioners was in a terrible motorcycle accident years ago. His mother, sister, other family members and myself gathered in the visitor’s lunge of the hospital. Then one of the doctors came into the visitor’s lounge asked if she could pray with us. It was powerful. At that prayerful moment we were on Holy Ground. It was later that I heard another one of the surgeons approaching our waiting area saying “that was a strong young teenager.” No sir, I thought to myself, that was God using our faith for the healing of this child.
Sometimes our sins cripples us. Jesus addressed this concern in our reading for today. When Jesus is challenged regarding his authority to forgive sins, He shows the doubters that His power is beyond the simple physical matter of nature. Jesus is Lord of the seen, and the unseen – of this world and the next. Jesus not only forgives sins, which is something we also are equipped to do, He also makes the lame walk which even with all of our technology we often fall short of physical healing.
Yes, I said that, we, you and I, can forgive the sins of others and ourselves. It’s not easy, but it is possible. Jesus told them and us, “But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’—he said to the paralytic— ‘I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home.’” (Mark 2:10, 11)
As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
Let us pray: (BCP p.458)
O God, the strength of the weak and the comfort of sufferers: Mercifully accept our prayers, and grant to your servants the help of your power, that their sickness may be turned into health, and our sorrow into joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
onewhoponders 