Monday of the
Second Week in Advent
(Isaiah 35:1-10; Luke 5:17-26)
For most of us it is easier to say to a crippled person, “Your
sins are forgiven,” than to say, “Stand up and walk.” This is so because most of us say things to
win the approval of others. No one will
know whether the crippled person’s sins are really forgiven. But if the person does not stand up, they
will think us foolish for telling the person to do so.
Jesus shows himself to be a prophet because he cares
about the truth of his words. He will not
say to a person that her sins are forgiven unless he has the authority from God
to forgive. In today’s gospel he shows
that authority by healing the cripple. He
also shows himself to be the fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy. He has come to make firm the knees of the
weak and to make the lame leap. He has
come to save us from lies and deceit. He
has come to give us joy and gladness.
As that paralyzed man in the gospel cannot walk, we are paralyzed
by our social environment so that speaking with complete honesty is
difficult. Jesus heals us of this
paralysis so that we not just tell the truth but do so in love. In this way those around us will give more
than a nod of approval. They will
thank God for our presence to them.
