Thursday 5 July

Amos 7:10-17, Ps.19B, Matthew 9:1-8

Paralysis

We sometimes talk of someone being paralysed by guilt or by fear or by a sense of unworthiness. Whether this was in fact the case with this man in today’s gospel we have no means of knowing, but certainly Jesus saw that his need of forgiveness was the heart of the matter.

We Catholics are particularly blessed in having the Sacrament of Penance, a powerful means whereby we experience the forgiveness of God. Let us not underestimate it.

Jesus came to set us free from all these things which bind and paralyse us and prevent us from serving God as we would wish. Could we spend a little time today identifying those areas in our lives and take them to Jesus in prayer.