Some Friday Thoughts

How is the weather in your part of the country? Our part of the country is in the deep freeze right now. Our windchill this morning was at -35! Wow! The kids are glad for a couple of extra days off school. Unfortunately, I still have to go to work. I'm trying to stay inside as much as possible, though!

We have our Internet service back at home now. However, I'm still not finding much time to blog. I mostly just check my e-mail (and still not every day). I'll do my best, though, to at least check for comments when I'm online.

This morning, the boys and I were reading the daily Mass readings. The gospel reading was Mark 2:1-12. I told them I have always loved this story. I can't imagine what it would be like to be the homeowner, and suddenly someone is breaking through the roof of my house! I can't imagine how the people standing below must have felt when pieces of roof started coming down, either. I can't grasp the joy the man on the pallet must have felt when his sins were forgiven, and then, he was suddenly able to walk, too! Two miracles in one day! But I think I can understand how the scribes felt. I mean, how could a mere man forgive sins? How could this simple-looking Carpenter forgive sins? But the truth was, Jesus wasn't just a man. He was "the" Man. And He could indeed forgive sins. As proof of the inner work He had just done in the paralytic, Jesus also healed the man outwardly.



The great things about this story are: 1) it's absolutely true--it really happened; 2) Jesus addressed the man's greatest need first--the need of forgiveness and healing of sin; 3) Jesus showed His deep love for the man in also healing his outward need of paralysis. A truly amazing story!

I don't know what needs you have in your life. I personally know several people who need a great miracle of physical healing today. But, even more tragically, I know many more people who need the miracle of spiritual healing today. They need to have the sins in their soul forgiven. They need their innermost spiritual being cleansed from the paralysis of sin. As I told my boys, the man on the stretcher had two choices: remain crippled forever, but have his soul wiped clean of sin; or, have his ability to walk restored, yet spend eternity separated from God. In the beauty of it all, Jesus gave him both! I have to say, though, for those I know who are not walking with God, my prayer is first for their soul. For I know their physical healing will come one way or another. The physical problems will last only for this lifetime, which is indeed brief. But the state of their soul is forever...which is indeed a long time...

Those are my thoughts for this cold Friday morning. I'm headed for a cup of hot peppermint tea now, friends. God bless you all, and give you a good weekend!