SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ...

Page Four — February 19, 2012Scripture Reflections for theSeventh Sunday in Ordinary TimeLIVINGtheWORDSunday,February 19, 2012TODAY'S FOCUS:THE REAL AGENDA —THE FORGIVENESS OF SINSGod is so endlessly inventive that not even so greatan event as Israel's exodus from Egypt was going tobe God's final word — or deed — in Israel's life.Freedom from physical slavery was only the preludeto the freedom God wanted all creation to have fromsin and death.• FIRST READINGIt is I who wipe out, for my own sake, your offenses(Isaiah 43:18-19, 21-22, 24b-25).The people of Israel were living in exile and wonderedwhether God's punishment would endure forever. Isaiahresponded that God did not want them to dwell upon thethings of the past (their sins). God was establishingsomething radically new, an era of pardon and mercy.He was transforming the desert of their broken heartsinto a fertile place where His love would bloom. God wasnot doing this because the people of Israel deserved it,but rather for the sake of His own name. It was GodHimself who would wipe out their sins, for He alonecould renew His people's hearts and minds.• SECOND READINGJesus was not yes and no, but yes has been in Him(2 Corinthians 1:18-22).St. Paul had been accused of vacillation. He had told theCorinthians that he would visit them, and then did not.He did this for their sake. He wanted to wait a bit beforevisiting them so that they might have a chance to changetheir ways (for there were serious problems amongthem). Paul speaks of our Lord being constant in HisSaint Anthony Catholic Churchways. Paul was an envoy of Christ, so there could be nodoubt or weakness in his position. He calls the HolySpirit the first installment on God's promises. The HolySpirit, God's love personified, allows us to begin toexperience the love of heaven already here on earth.• GOSPELThe Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins(Mark 2:1-12).This is a very unusual miracle story. There are usuallyfour elements: a description of the situation, an appealfor help, an intervention on the part of Jesus, and areaction from the people who witnessed the miracle. Wehear these four elements when we hear the descriptionof the paralytic being brought into the room where Jesuswas. Being lowered through the roof was a type ofappeal. Then Jesus forgave his sins. Finally, the scribesand Pharisees reject what Jesus had done. As far as Jesuswas concerned, He was finished when He forgave theman his sins. He had healed him in the most importantway, for He had let him experience God's love and mercyin a profound manner. This is what He had come to do.• REFLECTIONWhen Jesus came preaching, teaching, healing, andexorcising, the response was amazement and wonder.He was a "crowd magnet," as we see in this week'sGospel. When Jesus showed up, it was standing roomonly. What would be the next miracle? So when theparalytic came down, there might even have been a little"ho‐hum" in the air. "Didn't He do something along theselines that night outside Simon's mother‐in‐law's house?"But healing the body and casting out demons were onlythe first steps in the new creation God had in mind. Thenext step went to the heart of the matter — salvation."Child, your sins are forgiven." Alarms went off, at leastin the heads of some of the legal experts present. "DidHe just say?... No, not possible.... Only God can...." ButJesus, who really could hear people thinking, had notrouble saying it again: "That you may know the Son ofMan has the authority to forgive sins on earth..." then Heturned to the paralytic: "Get up and go." And the man gotup and went. All the other things Jesus had been doingwere acceptable, except when He did them on a Sabbath,for this was crossing a clearly defined line in the law ofMoses. Forgiving sin? Only God could do that. Yes, thatwas the point. And still is. So don't let past actions —even God's, much less yours — lock you in or keep Godout. God remains at work in Jesus offering forgiveness,reconciliation, atonement (at‐one‐ment) to all whorealize they need it. How do you feel when you hearJesus say, "Your sins are forgiven"?Mon., Feb. 20thJas 3:13-18;Mk 9:14-29Tues., Feb. 21stJas 4:1-10;Mk 9:30-37READINGS FOR THE WEEKWed., Feb. 22ndJl 2:12-18; 2 Cor 5:20—6:2; Mt 6:1-6, 16-18Thurs., Feb. 23rdDt. 30:15-20;Lk 9:22-25Fri., Feb. 24thIs 58:1-9a;Mt 9:14-15