Matthew 9:1-8

Matthew 9:1-8

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 harbor 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.

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I thank you for the gift of your forgiveness. You know my weakness and what can paralyze me spiritually. Heal me today, make me strong in your Spirit so that I can hallow your name, extend your kingdom, and do your will.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The Ten Mighty Deeds of the New Moses: In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus is often and in different ways presented as the New Moses. Just as Moses did 10 mighty deeds in Egypt before Pharaoh – the sending of the 10 plagues – so Jesus, the New Moses, did 10 mighty deeds in Galilee (Matthew 8:1-9:38). Today’s mighty deed – the healing of the paralytic – is the sixth of the ten mighty deeds. The number 10, in Hebrew, symbolizes authority. By working ten mighty deeds, Jesus is demonstrating his power and authority. When he later commissions and sends out his Apostles, he sends them out with a share in his authority (Matthew 10:1). Our Gospel passage opens with Jesus returning to his own town of Capernaum. He is moved by the faith of the people who brought him the paralytic. Instead of first healing the man’s physical paralysis and then forgiving his sins, Jesus first declares that the man’s sins are forgiven. On hearing Jesus forgive the paralytic’s sins, the scribes thought in their hearts that Jesus was committing the sin of blasphemy. For them, Jesus was appropriating something to himself that belonged solely to God – the power to forgive sins. Just as Moses told Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, ‘By this you shall know that I am the Lord’” (Exodus 7:17), Jesus uses a similar expression for the scribes. When faced with the 10 mighty deeds of Jesus, the scribes harden their hearts and act like new pharaohs. What do I most need Jesus to heal in my life?

2. Making the Invisible Visible: When Moses worked 10 wonders in Egypt, this led to the Exodus and the covenant at Mt. Sinai. When Jesus works 10 wonders in Galilee (Northern Israel), this leads to the New Exodus and the New Covenant. Jesus’ mighty deeds make visible what is invisible. The physical healing – the curing of the man’s physical paralysis – makes visible the invisible spiritual healing – the forgiveness of the man’s spiritual paralysis. The physical and spiritual healings look forward to the sacraments, which are visible and effective signs of God’s invisible grace. “The passage surprisingly ends with the crowds glorifying God for granting authority to forgive sins not just to Jesus, but to human beings. Why the plural? Readers of Matthew’s Gospel might see this as pointing to the forgiveness Jesus continues to offer through his disciples, whom he commissions to forgive sins (16:19; 18:18; see John 20:23)” (Mitch and Sri, The Gospel of Matthew, 134). When was the last time I received the Sacrament of Reconciliation?

3. Rise, Take Up Your Mat, and Walk: The healing of the paralytic is not only a story about forgiveness; it is also a story about restoration and mission. After forgiving the man’s sins, Jesus commands him, “Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” The forgiveness of sins is meant to lead to a new way of life. Sin leaves us spiritually weakened and unable to move toward God with freedom and joy. Grace, however, restores our strength and enables us to walk in the path of discipleship. The paralytic does not remain lying before Jesus after receiving forgiveness; he rises and walks. In a similar way, Christ does not forgive us merely so that we can remain where we are. He forgives us so that we can stand upright, carry the burdens and responsibilities of our vocation, and return to our homes, workplaces, and communities as renewed disciples. Every encounter with the mercy of Christ is an invitation to rise, walk, and live differently.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I do not want to be like the scribes in today’s Gospel and oppose your work. Dwell in my heart and reign there. Help me to be docile to the inspirations of your Holy Spirit.

Living the Word of God: Am I in need of the Sacrament of Reconciliation? What are the sins that keep me in a state of spiritual paralysis? Ask Jesus for healing. What am I prepared to change in my life after experiencing the Lord’s forgiveness?