Sixth Sunday after Pentecost 2023

No special Ambon Prayer

The Holy Martyr Pancratius, Bishop of Taormina

Title

Arise and Go in My Name

Outline

People often live with guilt

Now there are some that do not, either because they blame their faults on others (“bless me Father for he has sinner”) or because they excuse their faults (“I was justified” or “I do not think that that is a sin”)

But deep down many live with guilt, for the moral law is built into our consciences. Living with guilt is corrosive, cancerous, self-destructive.

We have problems dealing with objective guilt - who has authority to forgive? - and so we try to reduce it to a psychological problem, guilt feelings.

And that is where Jesus is different

Jesus comes to Capernaum and encounters a paralyzed man

We do not know if the man wanted to come to Jesus, only that some people brought him. They are the only ones said to have faith: “Jesus saw their faith.”

But then Jesus does the unexpected. He does not heal the man physically, but says, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” Now clearly he is trying to make a point about who he is, but he would not do this at the expense of the paralyzed man. We do not know what that man was conscious of, but Jesus goes to the root of his problem. [Story of healing Eucharist in Philadelphia and the woman who in a pre-interview was triggered into revealing her hatred for her mother.]

Now we get the other side of the story, the public side. The scribes say, “This man is blaspheming.” And in other gospels they add, “Who can forgive sins but God?” “Ah yes,” implies Jesus, “and it would have caused less fuss to have simply healed him.” “And I made the forgiveness public without saying, ‘Get up and walk,’ for a purpose.” “But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins” rise up and walk. Now the effect of the forgiveness is made public.

The crowds were impressed, but forgiveness and healing have a greater purpose.

They result in our becoming one of the Jesus followers and being gifted for service; we end up doing God’s work with God’s gifts with a godly attitude: “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; he who teaches, in his teaching; he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who contributes, in liberality; he who gives aid, with zeal; he who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.” Notice that there is no sameness here, but different gifts used well in a godly manner.

And healing goes deeper, for our character is healed and we are empowered to live virtuous lives, to live like Jesus. “Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.”

Yes, God has given authority to his followers, but only if they allow Jesus to transform them and live his life through them.

So, brothers and sisters, we come to the bottom line

Sin and guilt are objective and can destroy us physically, mentally, and spiritually. This is deep in the tradition, so deal with sin and guilt before you are in desperate straights.

The man Christ Jesus does have the authority to forgive sins, for he is God in flesh, but he as God has given the authority to forgive to men - he has given it through his Church. Use it. Waiting until the carcinogen actually causes cancer is not a good idea.

Finally, Jesus wants to transform us into his likeness. That is preventive medicine and also effective evangelism. So measure yourselves by the standards Paul gives and come and seek the “medicine of immortality” in counsel, reconciliation, and especially communion where we fall short of Jesus.

Then we will be able to go into the world and uses Jesus’ gifts to us in a Jesus-like way so that the world may realize that Jesus is God who has given gifts to men and women so that they can bring his healing to the world.

Readings

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 8-4-2024: Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

EPISTLE

Romans 12:6–14

6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who contributes, in liberality; he who gives aid, with zeal; he who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

9 Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; 10 love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 8-4-2024: Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

GOSPEL

Matthew 9:1–8

1 And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city. 2 And behold, they brought to him a paralytic, lying on his bed; and when Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” 3 And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” 4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 6 But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, take up your bed and go home.” 7 And he rose and went home. 8 When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

Notes

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) (7-9-2023: Sixth Sunday after Pentecost)

SUNDAY, September 9, 2023 | OCTOECHOS

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 8-4-2024: Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Dark Vestments

Matins Gospel Luke 24:36–53

Epistle Romans 12:6–14

Gospel Matthew 9:1–8