We often hold grudges, staying angry at those who have hurt us.  We have a hard time forgiving others and a harder time forgiving ourselves.  Staying angry or not forgiving someone takes a lot of energy more energy than it takes to forgive.  God knows our anger and those we hold grudges against.  God showed his own anger in the Old Testament and his forgiveness through his son in the New Testament.

Psalm 6 The poet of this first of the seven penitential psalms pleads with God for deliverance from the dreadful misery of sin.  Our foes are really our own distorted thoughts and selfish habits, which wreak more damage than we often imagine (Magnificat p.252 Jan 2013) Once we realize we are acting out of anger we can then move to the realm of forgiveness.

Psalm 78 is a recital of history to show us past generations did not respond to God’s gracious deeds and were punished by God making the gift into a punishment. Israel fails to appreciate God’s act— The introduction of the psalm invites Israel to learn the lessons hidden in its traditions (Ps 78:1–4, 5–7, 8–11); each section ends with the mention of God’s acts as in this section of the psalm. There are important messages in this psalm such as gracious act (Ps 78:12–16, 40–55), rebellion (Ps 78:17–20, 56–58), divine punishment (Ps 78:21–31, 59–64), God’s readiness to forgive and begin anew (Ps 78:32–39, 65–72).

Then in Mark 2:1] He was at home: to the crowds that gathered in and outside the house Jesus preached the word, and the necessity of repentance and faith (Mk 1:14). [2:5] It was the faith of the paralytic and those who carried him that moved Jesus to heal the sick man. Jesus’ emphasis is on faith as the requisite for exercising his healing powers and forgiveness. Mk 5:34; 9:23–24; 10:52).

Ver. 4. The sinners friends had such diligence to bring their sinning friend to Christ, by means of raising the roof, what wonderful friends he has.

Ver. 5. When Jesus saw their faith. Our Lord is moved to show mercy to sinners, by the faith and desires, and prayers of others; for this man was not more helpless in his limbs, than in his soul. From this example, we are taught that in sickness the sacraments and helps of the Church, which are the medicines of the soul, should be called for in the first instance; for Christ first healed the sick man’s soul, before he removed his bodily infirmity. We also learn that many diseases originate in sin, and that we are to remove the effect by removing the cause.

Ver. 10. The Son of man. Jesus Christ here proved that himself as man, and not as God only, hath power to forgive sins; by this, that he was able to do miracles, and make the sick man suddenly rise; so the apostles and their successors, though they be not God, may in like manner have authority from God to remit sins, not as God, but as God’s ministers, and acting in his name, and vested with his delegated authority. — On earth. This power which the Son of man hath to remit sins on earth, was never taken from him, but is perpetuated in his sacraments and ministers, by whom he still remitted sins in the Church, and not in heaven only. Relative to sin, there is one court of conscience on earth, and another in heaven, and the judgment of heaven followed and approved this on earth; as is plain by the words of our Saviour, to Peter first, and then to all the apostles: Whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall by bound also in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven. See Matthew xvi. 19. and xviii. 18. Whereupon St. Jerome said: that priests having the keys of the kingdom of heaven, judge in some manner before the day of judgment. (Ep. v. ad Heliod; and St. Chrysostom, more at large, lib. iii. de Sacerd.)

The story is powerful in the way that no matter what we do, we are forgiven if we believe. It is our faith which sets us free. It is our faith in our selves which forgives. Have you forgiven yourself? Are you still holding grudges against others?   How do you relate to the story?