Tag: matthew 9:1-9

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, I BELIEVE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on PHYSICAL SICKNESS, ILLNESS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 25 September – “Seeing their faith …” – Matthew 9:2

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 25 September – “The Month of The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and The Holy Cross” –St Vincent Strambi CP (1745-1824) Bishop, Priest of the Passionist Order of St Paul of the Cross – Ferial Day –1 Corinthians 1:4-8; Matthew 9:1-8 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Seeing their faith …” – Matthew 9:2

REFLECTION – “He came into His own town and behold, they brought to Him one sick of the palsy, lying in a bed.” (Mt 9:1-2). Jesus, the Gospel tells us, seeing the faith of these people, said to the paralytic: “Courage, son, thy sins are forgiven thee.” The paralytic hears these words and remains silent. He offers no word of thanks. He wanted the healing of his body more than that of his soul. He lamented the transitory pain of his sick body but, the eternal torment of his soul, whose sickness was even greater, this he did not mourn. He judged his present life to be more precious to him than the life to come!

Christ was wise to take account of the faith of those who brought the sick man to Him and to pay no attention to the latter’s stupidity. Thanks to his neighbours’ faith, the paralytic’s soul would be cured before his body. “When He saw their faith,” the Gospel says. Take note here, my brethren, God is not concerned with what the foolish want; He does not expect to find faith among the ignorant; He does not analyse the foolish desires of a sick man. On the other hand, He does not refuse to come to the aid of another’s faith. Such faith is a gift of grace and is in harmony with the Will of God.” – St Peter Chrysologus (400-450) Bishop of Ravenna, Father & Doctor of sermons of the Church (Sermon 50).

PRAYER – From all perils of soul and body defend us, O Lord, we beseech Thee and by the intercession of the blessed and gloriosus Ever-Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of blessed Joseph, of thy blessed apostles Peter and Paul, the blessed Vincent Strambi, Thy Confessor and all the Saints, graciously grant us safety and peace that all adversities and errors, being overcome, Thy Church may serve Thee in security and freedom. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on JUDGING, QUOTES on the CHURCH, The RESURRECTION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 22 September – ‘ … Here He gives us a complete image of the Resurrection …’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 22 September – “The Month of The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and The Holy Cross” – St Thomas of Villanova OSA (1488-1555) Archbishop, Confessor – 1 Corinthians 1:4-8; Matthew 9:1-8 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic,
Take courage, son, thy sins are forgiven thee.” – Matthew 9:2

REFLECTION – “Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic: ‘Thy sins are forgiven thee,‘” The Lord is great! for the sake of the former he forgives the latter! He answers the prayer of the first and pardons the sins of the second.
O men, why is it that today your fellow traveller is unable to do anything for you, when, with the Lord, His servant has the right to intervene and to receive?

You who judge, learn to pardon and you who are ill, learn to beseech. If you have no hope of immediate pardon for grave sins, turn to intercessors, turn to the Church who will pray for you. Then, for her sake, the Lord will grant you the pardon He might have denied you. We do not ignore the historical truth of the paralytic’s cure but, above all, we acknowledge the healing of his interior self, whose sins are forgiven. …

The Lord wants to save sinners; He demonstrates His Divinity by His knowledge of what is secret and, by the wonders of His deeds. “Which is easier to say,” he asks: “’Your sins are forgiven’ or ‘Rise and walk’?” Here He gives us a complete image of the Resurrection since, in curing the wounds of soul and body … the whole man is healed!” – St Ambrose (340-397) ArchBishop of Milan, Father and Doctor of the Church (Commentary on Saint Luke’s Gospel V, 11-13).

PRAYER – O God, Who endowed blessed Bishop Thomas with the virtue of special pity for the poor, we beseech Thee, through his intercession, generously to pour forth the riches of Thy mercy upon all those who pray to Thee.ThroughJesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).