Luke Pearson

Dear Friends,

In today’s Gospel According to Matthew, we are witnesses to hope. We are witnesses to Jesus’s authority both in heaven and earth. We are witnesses to a miracle. We are witnesses to God’s redeeming love.

In the reading, Jesus sees people carrying a paralyzed man lying on a bed. When Christ becomes aware of this he not only forgives the paralytic's sins, but grants him the ability to walk again after being accused of blaspheming by the scribes.

There is a line within this particular Gospel that is especially beautiful, and fills me with hope. Jesus says to the paralytic, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” He does not ignore the paralytic’s presence, nor does Christ simply just say to “Take heart”. Instead, our Savior looks upon the man and calls him son.

The miracle of Jesus healing the paralyzed man is astonishing. However, what is even more astonishing is that Jesus recognizes that this man is both deserving of dignity as well as God’s forgiveness. Furthermore, Jesus reinforces the glorious truth that the paralytic is and always will be a child of God.

My friends, we must never forget that we are all children of God. The greatest miracle of all is that we are both witnesses and participants in God’s unconditional love. Christ invites us into a relationship with him and with one another. No matter who we are or what circumstances that we fall victim to, God will welcome us as members of a faithful family. We must take heart in this truth, and always be willing to open ourselves up to God’s grace.

Best,

Luke Pearson