Museum Tuesday - Lent 3

Good Morning!  Happy Tuesday - Lent 3.    Today at the Museum we had planned to have a surprise Cupcake Birthday party for Curator Emeritus Mr. Neale during morning coffee break time. Imagine our surprise when Mr. Neale happened to make mention that he was going to a CNIB function this morning and would not be at the Museum this morning.  Heh heh heh.  Good thing cupcakes will keep until afternoon coffee break.   So we will celebrate his birthday this afternoon.   :)

Yesterday,  I was whining to a friend about the Church(es) on the weekend.  I get so frustrated when Spiritual Leaders do not take time to seek out training nor seek out rubrics for doing worship properly.   My whining was/is wrong.  Just because I  think Churches and Spiritual Leaders should have higher standards doesn't mean that their standards are our standards.  I need to learn to accept them for who they are......and hurrah for forgiveness.   One keeps balanced and whole by asking for forgiveness from God.

Devotional.....

O Christ,  Son of God,  may we always share in Your love;  and since You gave Your life for us,  may Your Passion help us in all the trials of our existence, making of us true and living members of Your Body,  for You live and reign now and forever.  Amen.  (Taize “Praise in All Our Days”  Mowbray,  1981)

Read:  St. Matthew 9: 1 – 8

Once again,  Jesus steps into a boat and travels away to his home town.  Almost as soon as Jesus gets out of the boat,  some men bring to Jesus a paralytic man.  Jesus has compassion on the friends and upon the paralytic man Jesus says, “Take heart, son… your sins are forgiven”.

Some teachers of the law are listening and are horrified at what they hear Jesus uttering.  Jesus knows their thoughts and asks them why they have evil thoughts in their hearts.  Just so they know that Jesus has authority on earth to forgive sins, Jesus asks them which is simpler to say, “I forgive your sins”  or “Get up and walk”.      Jesus says to the paralytic man, “Get up,  take your mat and go home!”    

Remember that for the Teachers of the law,  each sin that is committed is done against God.  Only God can forgive sins.   They hear Jesus saying to the paralytic man, “I forgive your sins.”    Can’t you see the Teachers of the Law with their mouths dropped open and their fingers pointing to Jesus and all they can utter is, “But, but, but…..what are you DOING?” 

  The crowd was amazed that God had authorized Jesus to work among them. 

This day,  know that Jesus says to you,  “Take heart, son/daughter… your sins are forgiven”!        

God of Light and Love,  we ask You to forgive our sins.    Forgive our sins of the things we have not done.  Forgive us our sins for the things we have done that hurt others.  Forgive us our sins for walking past those who need Your help.    O Lord,  You have set us free.  You tell us that our sins are forgiven and we rejoice greatly.  Amen.

Many blessings!