The Power To Forgive Sin
by
Dr. Gale A. Ragan-Reid
(January 5, 2020)
“And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them. And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. But there was certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,
Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?
Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)
I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.” (Mark 2: 1-12 King James Version [KJV])
Greetings In The Holy Name Of Jesus Yahshuah,
My sisters and brothers, we all practice acts of forgiveness, one to another. We consider each forgiveness, one to another even in our system of law, the process of rehabilitation includes an apology, thereby instructions. given that guide sinners to eventually ask for forgiveness and receive forgiveness for their sinfulness—-acts of sin against their sisters and brothers that bring about harm, for even oneself for the soul is at risk of lost—-to lose one’s soul. Have you ever heard someone say you could lose your soul? We consider the gospel of the disciple Mark who said, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”[Mark 8: 36, King James Version (KJV)]. Howbeit, our forgiveness, one to another, does not enrage us to harshly judge in our intimacy with those we wronged as Jesus harshly judged by the Jewish priests who just could not accept him as the Son of God with power and authority to forgive sin, did so, back in the days when the story of Jesus, was written.
We read the gospel readings, evidence of witnesses that saw and heard the harsh responses from the Jewish priests about Jesus forgiving sin. We know the root of this consideration mostly concerned money—-paying the priests to ask God for forgiveness which included supplying the priests with all that was needed in the sacrificial ceremony to petition God, for forgiveness; possibly the sinners felt compelled to give all that the priest requested of them, so where did this faith act leave poor sinners who could not afford to get their sins forgiven. Obviously, deeply cast down in sin with no hope of ever receiving forgiveness for their sinful acts against God. Why did the Jewish priests hate Jesus, for the power he received from his Heavenly Father God Yahweh, to forgive sins? You would like to think the Son of God, the Son of man, who died for sins could have the power to forgive sins, but obviously the disbelief built a wall of contention that he could not be—- he just could not be the Son of God with such power to deliver forgiveness of sins, here on Earth, right now, as he spoke the Words, Thy sins are forgiven.[Mark 2: 5, KJV].
Most importantly, in casual settings in our relationships, one to another, we ask for forgiveness, time and time again, many times not even asking a priest in the succession of Christ Jesus Yahshuah, to forgive our sins, just only in the intimacy of oneself with another, to whom we feel we wronged. The priest’s forgiveness does not enter in our lives as divine intervention—-intercessory power, for the saving of our soul. Why do we now, harshly judge priests who have the power to forgive sins and do not include them in our acts of forgiveness? The process of instructions, not the same as the apology and receiving forgiveness in a system of law in our criminal and civil courts, is a holy process that considers the relationship you have with God [thelightison.org “1. Confess CONFESS YOUR SINS ALOUD TO THE PRIEST WHO LISTENS LOVINGLY ON BEHALF OF CHRIST AND THE CHURCH. 2. RECEIVE PENANCE. THE PRAYERS OF GOOD DEEDS THE PRIEST GIVES YOU, TO BEGIN HEALING RELATIONSHIPS HURT BY YOUR SINS. 3. ACT OF CONTRITION. A SIMPLE EXPRESSION TO GOD THAT YOU ARE SORRY FOR YOUR SINS AND THAT YOU RESOLVE TO LEAVE SIN BEHIND. 4. RECEIVE ABSOLUTION. THE WORDS THE PRIEST SPEAKS WHICH RECONCILE YOU TO GOD AND THE CHURCH. AN ACT OF CONTRITION. My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In his Name, my God, have mercy.
Greeting: The priest will welcome you; he may say a short blessing or read a Scripture passage.
Sign of the Cross: Together, you and the priest will make the Sign of the Cross. You may then begin your confession with these or similar words: “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been (give days, months, or years) since my last confession.”
Confession: Confess all your sins to the priest. If you are unsure what to say, ask the priest for help. When you are finished, conclude with these or similar words: “I am sorry for these and all my sins.”
Penance: The priest will propose an act of penance. The penance might be prayer, a work of mercy, or an act of charity. He might also counsel you on how to better live a Christian life.
Act of Contrition: Say an Act of Contrition, expressing sorrow for your sins and resolving to leave sin behind and live in the light!
Absolution: The priest then blesses you in the person of Christ as he says the prayer of Absolution which frees you from your sins
After Confession
-Go in Peace-
Rejoice THROUGH THE GRACE OF THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION GOD HAS REMINDED YOU OF HIS UNENDING LOVE. RESOLVE TO LEAVE SIN BEHIND AND LIVE IN THE LIGHT. RESPOND FOLLOW THROUGH WITH PENANCE AND SHARE THE MERCY YOU RECEIVED WITH OTHERS. WITH YOUR HELP These words In an Act of Contrition remind you that when avoiding sin seems to difficult, you can rely on God by turning to Him in prayer and the Sacraments. CONSIDER THE WORDS OF MERCY BELOW AND PUT GRACE INTO ACTION.
Feed the hungry – Offer your Lenten fasting as a prayer for the hungry, or volunteer at a food pantry.
Visit the sick – Send thoughtful notes to members of your parish or community who are sick, or visit residents in a nursing home.
Shelter the homeless – Make blankets to donate to a homeless shelter, or volunteer with Habitat for Humanity.
For more ways to put mercy into action this Lent, check out our Works of Mercy activity worksheet!”]
More importantly, we consider why did the Jewish priests compete with Christ Jesus when they should help with God’s people, the children of God, in the family of God? The one request Jesus left his disciples with that resonated throughout the ages, as time goes by is, “Feed my sheep.” We look back in reflection at the time Jesus walked on the Earth. He truly, desired that the sheep were fed. What were those who conspired doing as he was feeding the 5,000 and feeding the 4,000, even as the the Word of God calls the people of God—-the multitudes?
Jesus did not waste time in his public ministry. He fed his sheep before he died and requested his disciples to do the same. God bless their souls. My soul loves you LORD GOD.
The children of God were hungry and thirsty. I say, they were hungry. As, we reflect on the woman at the well, the woman of Samaria. They were thirsty.
God knows the ministers who busy themselves outside of that request of Jesus, Feed my sheep, pretending God’s business—-our Father God, in heaven’s business is all about them and the frailties of their flesh. He sees the ministers—-laborers who spend time not feeding the sheep, conspiring against one another, competing with one another and his quite mindfully watchful of how we interact, one to another, to love our neighbors. We consider what those who did waste time did—-for they only wanted to steal away God’s glory; for they spent all their time punishing those who were in need of the Word of God. For they spent time conspiring to kill Jesus instead of, Feeding the sheep.
Yes, we live with that history, for they say history is Jesus’ history and we separate the “his” from the “story” and say, It is his story. Yes, indeed, history is the story of Jesus, his story. What makes you jump up in God’s joy is the resonated impact that profoundly effected and still impacts every waking moment and hour in every man, woman, and child’s life, in hearing the story of Jesus, his story? Is that your Truth? Do we share that Truth, his story?
Jesus did outreach and walked miles to reach the people and sent 70 through Peter, to reach out on the streets and in the houses to reach those who wanted so much to be forgiven of their sins. Yet, we find the conspirators who denied Jesus, the Son of God, absolutely without a shadow of doubt lost their minds when Jesus forgave sins, for they rejected Truth that the Son of God had the power to forgive sins. We know they were livid in hate, jealousy, envy, and greed to know that Jesus has the power of God that our Father God in heaven gave to his only begotten Son because he so loved the world [John 3: 16, KJV]. We look to the living Word, for the salvation we seek, for the redemption we desire, for the gift of reconciliation, the gift of God’s grace through our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus. Quite naturally, it is no wonder that the resurrection of Jesus, was rejected for in the redemption through resurrection, our salvation gifted us with eternal life, if only we continually pray for salvation then to receive the holy gifted eternal life.
Oh! What a joy that day is when the saints come marching home and when the saints go marching home. I want to be in that number of forgiveness. Lord, have mercy, the forgiven souls are marching home to the bosom of God. Let us stay prayed up for the redemption of our sins draws nigh.
Christ Jesus Yahshuah be with you. GOD be with you. Stay in the faith of Jesus, in God. Walk with GOD. God bless
