those who are sick

Monday, September 21, 2009 St. Matthew, Apostle, Evangelist (Feast)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13 Psalm 19:2-5 Matthew 9:9-13

Matthew 9:12  But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

 

There are two extremes that fall short of this.  In the church  there is the tendency to demand righteousness and not have mercy and in the culture of the day there is a tendency to not acknowledge that anything is sin and therefore not have need of being helped.

The homosexual debate in the ELCA is an example where people no longer call sin sin.  There is no need for forgiveness.  We must have mercy, but before we can do that we must understand what is is.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to know what sin is and then to repent from it and forgive those who do as well.

Amen