Courage My Child

Then some people appeared, bringing him a paralytic stretched out on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘Courage, my child, your sins are forgiven.’
Mt.9:2

Jesus is at the height of  His recorded healing ministry.  He has just delivered two demon possessed men in the region of Gadarenes.  On arrival back across the lake at His home town He is petitioned to heal a paralytic.  Jesus' immediate response is to forgive the man's sins.

Two important points strike me in this event.  Firstly, the faith of the paralytic's friends is all it takes to move Jesus into action.  Nothing is said about the paralytic's faith. Intercession works as far as Jesus is concerned.  Secondly, Jesus' immediate response was to deal with the most important thing, the state of the paralytic's soul, not his body.  He only healed the man's paralysis to demonstrate His authority to forgive sins.

I have had a relapse of my "bad back" over the last couple of weeks.  As anyone who has suffered from sciatica would know, it's the sort of pain from which you can't escape.  Whether lying down or standing up, it's there.  It can preoccupy my thinking and is typical of how the physical world creates a spiritual haze.  Yes, the pain is real and is debilitating, but according to Jesus the debilitating state of my soul is of far more importance.

I need to go to Confession...

Lord Jesus, I believe You have the authority to forgive my sins.  Have mercy on me Lord, a sinner from birth.
Little Flower, please pray for me.