We gathered at his doorstep when we heard that he was home, so many that we couldn't be received. But he was gracious to the crowd and preached the Word of God. And those with open hearts and minds believed. We felt the love which animated everything he did, the love that every word he spoke conveyed. Our thoughts were lifted high above the mortal view of life. He showed to us the man our Father made. A neighbor, who was carried there by friends upon his bed, was certain that his palsy could be healed. He had his friends remove the roofing tiles and let him down to Jesus, and his faith was thus revealed. But Jesus didn't speak about the palsy, not a word. "Thy sins have been forgiven thee", he said. While certain scribes, within themselves, were thinking "blasphemy", the crippled man arose from off his bed. Jesus asked the question, "Which is easier to say, 'Thy sins have been forgiven thee', or 'Rise'?" Healing and forgiving sins to Jesus was the same. But they preferred instead to theorize how speaking thus was blasphemy against the Word of God, Who pardoned sins since ever time began. But Jesus demonstrated that the Son of Man has power on earth to take away the sins of man. Could we be mortal sinners in the eyes of God above? Or does He see the perfect man He made? The sinless One, who knows no guilt, the image of His Love, the Christ, which Jesus' healing work portrayed. The choice is ours to make today between this man of God, and what the human ego claims to see. Imaginary selfhood in a body doomed to die is not how God created you and me!
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