Your sins are forgiven

Already the angel explaining to Joseph the mystery of Mary's motherhood told him that Jesus would save his people from their sins. John the Baptist also pointed to Jesus that he is the Lamb of God who will take away the sin of the world. The Lord Jesus Himself also announced that He would shed His Blood for the forgiveness of sins.

Yet in the Gospels there are only two episodes when the Lord Jesus forgives sins to a particular person. In both cases, the witnesses could not accept that He had the power to forgive sins. When the Lord Jesus said to the paralytic: " Your sins are forgiven" – some considered it blasphemy, because only one God has the power to forgive sins. Similarly, when the public sinner poured precious oil and her own tears on Jesus' feet, and when the Lord Jesus told her, "Your sins are forgiven," some were upset. "Who is He that He forgives even sins?" they said behind His back.

What is easier to say: "Your sins are forgiven" or: "Take your bed and go home" Our logic suggests: anyone can say. For the Semite, on the other hand, the word contains, together with sound and semantics, what is happening, what is about to happen by the power of the word. Why does Jesus care that the scribes who deliberate in their heads now gain the experience (Greek oida) to know, to be acquainted with of this action? To see God who acts, restores to the fullness of life, unblocks? Perhaps so that they too would desire and allow Him to remove their bonds.

But let us ask: what is sin that only God can forgive it, and it took the passion of the Son of God to free us from our sins? Apparently, sin is something that causes humanly irreversible effects in me. Similarities to sin can be found in a situation where someone recklessly plays with a firecracker that exploded and burned his eyes. Or when someone drives a car and does not follow the rules of prudence – he causes an accident from which he comes out crippled. To say to itself in such situations: "It was a mistake, I will no longer play with a firecracker, I will not exceed the speed limit anymore" – will not restore health, lose lost sight or power in the legs.

Both of these comparisons show well the irreversibility of the effects of sin, but they probably do not show the essence of sin at all. Sin in its essence is rather like evil that enters among people close to each other. For example, a wife or husband has cheated on his spouse, a mother or father has severely harmed his child. Now the one who has committed this evil, even if he/she comes to his/her senses, will not immediately be able to love in the old way. A wronged person can feel even more hurt, and it is not surprising that they react with distrust to the recent abuser's show of love. Here the wound must be healed, and the offender must convert internally and obtain forgiveness from the wronged person.

This is why only God can forgive sins. After all, sin has caused a humanly irreversible spiritual breakdown, it has deeply wounded myself (and often also others) – and only one God can lead me out of this spiritual disability, deformation and weakness. Now, a big part of the Good News is the message that God is infinitely merciful – that God not only can forgive our sins, but He cares about it.

Until Tomorrow

fr. george