that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins?"
he said to the one who was paralyzed,
"I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home."
I learned recently that the germs in the human body weigh about as much as your brain -- three pounds. And they are equally important. We could not live without them, especially because they process the food we eat and prepare it for absorption into the blood stream. For more than a half-century we have made war upon our germs with antibiotics and only recently realized we should not win that war. At some point we will learn enough to begin making reparation to the "good germs" and perhaps use them for help against the "bad ones." In the process we will see that life is not all about human life. It entails the whole Earth.
The Prophet Isaiah would not be surprised by this discovery. He saw that human life is an integral part of all life on Earth, and that our sin pollutes and contaminates the Earth.
That realization may have played a critical difference in the recent election, after "Super Storm Sandy" devastated low-lying areas in New Jersey and New York. The Democrats are seen as less hostile to the environment than Republicans. But the truth is we are all guilty of that pollution. Every time the price of gasoline inches downward, sales of gas-guzzling vehicles soars. A century from now our descendants will wonder, "What were they thinking?"
Today's gospel demonstrates the super-abundance of God's mercy. While Jesus' opponents question, "Who but God alone can forgive sins?" Jesus demonstrates divine and human authority over sin and its consequences. We are not as helpless as we feel. Nor are we as helpless against pollution as we might wish we were. We can and must act.
The change -- what the scriptures call metanoia -- is not simply a willingness to pollute less and conserve more. That willingness is in fact impotent. Our obsession with The Economy demonstrates that. Our willingness is sick; it is crippled by our fear of poverty and want.
I have experienced that sickness in my own bad habits and addictions, and I meet it often in conversation with other addicts.
Metanoia requires a profound change of heart. I've heard it described as being turned inside out, like a sock. Each of us and all of our institutions must be reconfigured to fit the reality of God's Kingdom.
Isaiah knew it can be done. We can turn back to God, and we -- not just each of us but all of us -- must work together to effect the change. It begins with repentance, turning back to God, and prayer.
Now is not too late. And if not now, when?
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.