GOSPEL READING: Matthew 9:1-8
9 So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. 2 Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.”
3 And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, “This Man blasphemes!”
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 you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? 6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” 7 And he arose and departed to his house.
8 Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled[a] and glorified God, who had given such power to men.
***
ЕВАНГЕЛСКО ЧЕТИВО: Матеј 9, 1-8
1. Тогаш Он влезе во еден кораб, се врати назад и пристигна во својот град. 2. И ете, донесоа при Него еден фатен, положен на постела. Па кога ја виде Исус нивната вера, на фатениот му рече: „Не плаши се чедо! Ти се простуваат гревовите твои!” 3. Тогаш некои од книжниците рекоа во себе: „Овој богохулствува.” 4. А Исус, штом ги разбра мислите нивни, рече: „Зошто мислите лошо во срцата ваши? 5. Или, што е полесно? Да кажам: »Ти се простуваат гревовите твои!« или да кажам: »Стани и оди!«? 6. Но за да знаете дека Синот Човечки има власт на земјата да проштава гревови.” Тогаш му рече на фатениот: „Стани, земи си ја постелата и оди си дома!” 7. И тој стана, ја зеде постелата своја и си отиде дома. 8. А народот, кога го виде тоа, се зачуди и Го прослави Бога, Кој им дал таква власт на луѓето.
***
Thoughts by St. Theophan the Recluse on the Sixth Sunday After Pentecost
The Lord forgives the sins of the man sick of the palsy. One should rejoice; but the evil mind of the learned scribes says: “This man blasphemeth.” Even after the miracle of the healing of the man sick of the palsy—a confirmation of the comforting truth that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins—the people glorified God; but nothing is said about the scribes, probably because they continued to weave their deceitful questions even after such a miracle. The mind without faith is a schemer; it constantly hammers out its evil suspicions and weaves blasphemy against the whole realm of faith. As for miracles—it either doesn’t believe in them, or it demands a tangible one. But when a miracle is given that would obligate one to submit to the faith, this mind is not ashamed to turn away from it, distorting or slandering the miraculous works of God. It treats irrefutable evidence of God’s truth in the same way. It is sufficiently and cogently presented with both experiential and intellectual proof, but it covers even this with doubt. Sort out all that it produces and you will see that in this there is only deceit, although its own language calls it cleverness, and you are unwillingly led to the conclusion that cleverness and deceit are one and the same. In the realm of faith the Apostle says, We have the mind of Christ. Whose mind is outside of the realm of faith? The evil one’s. That is why deceit has become its distinguishing characteristic.