Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/514

 and with  one  beseeching  glance  he  prayed  to  Jesus  for  forgiveness. Jesus saw  that  the  state  of  his  soul  pained  him  more  than  that  of  his body, and  that  what  he  most  craved  for  was  pardon  and  peace;  and therefore He  said  to  him:  “Son,  be  of  good  heart,  thy  sins  are  forgiven.” If  the  sick  man  had  had  no  contrition,  he  would  not  have obtained pardon.

The Compassion  of  Jesus  on  repentant  sinners.  He  lovingly  addressed the sick  man  as  “son”,  and  consoled  him.

The object  of  sufferings.  The  severe  malady  of  the  lame  man  was perhaps a consequence  or  a punishment  of  his  sins. God allowed  this terrible infirmity  to  overtake  this  sinner  and  torment  his  body,  so  that he might  learn  to  repent  of  his  sins,  and  thus  save  his  soul  from  everlasting perdition.

Sins of  thought.  The  Pharisees  sinned  grievously  by  thought.

The forgiveness  of  sins  by  priests.  You  have  just  heard  that  God alone can  forgive  sins. But does  not  a priest  forgive  sins  in  the  Sacrament of  Penance? Yes, but  he  does  so  not  in  his  own  name  and  by his  own  authority  as  Jesus  did,  but  in  the  name  and  by  the  authority received from  God — our  Lord  having  left  to  the  apostles  and  their  successors the  office  of  forgiving  sins. By the  Sacrament  of  Penance  our Lord gave  to  his  Church  a really  divine  power,  for  the  comfort  and salvation of  sinful  men. Let us  too,  then,  “glorify  God  who  has  given such power  to  men”.

Indulgences. The  palsied  man  receives  first  the  forgiveness  of  his sins, then  his  temporal  punishment  (the  palsy)  is  removed. This is  exactly what  is  done  by  indulgences,  which  are  granted  for  the  purpose of removing  temporal  punishment. Only he  who  is  cleansed  from  mortal sin and  is  in  a state  of  grace,  can  gain  an  indulgence.

Do you  suppress  all  bad  thoughts  — such  as envy,  pride,  impurity,  unkindness — as  quickly  as  possible? God sees into  your  heart. If a bad  thought  occurs  to  you,  say  at once:  “Begone!”  and  turn  your  thoughts  to  something  that is holy.

Do you  make  a good  act  of  thanksgiving  after  you  have  been to confession?