You know the rest of the story. The scribes and Pharisees think that, when Jesus says, “Your sins are forgiven.” he is committing blasphemy. After all, only God can forgive sins.
Jesus ask them, “Which is easier, to say, “Your sins are forgiven.” Or to say, “Rise and walk?”
Think about it. Which is easier? Don’t answer too quickly.
It’s easier to say ”your sins are forgiven,” because no one can tell if they are forgiven. The harder thing to say is, “Rise and walk,” because the result (or lack of result) is easily seen.
So, as a sign that he “has power on earth to forgive sins,” Jesus says to the paralytic: “Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”
Which is exactly what the (former) paralytic does. Jesus can forgive sins. Case Closed.
But will he forgive my sins?
Ask him.
Can ‘others’ be saved?
God is showing some people around heaven. They walk by one area with a high wall around it. God tells them to be very quiet as they walk by. One person asks why and God says, “Because that’s where the Catholics are, and they think they’re the only ones here.”
The Second Vatican Council put that caricature to rest in paragraphs 16 and 17 of the Constitution of the Church.
· The Council speaks first of Christians of other faiths and says that “they are joined to us in the Holy Spirit, for to them also He give His gifts and graces.
· The Council then turns to those who are not Christian. It speaks first of the Jewish people and says, “This people remains most dear to God, for God does not repent of the gifts he makes.”
· The Constitution then speaks of Muslims and says that along with us they “adore the one and merciful God.”
· The text goes on to speak of “those who in shadows and images seek the unknown God.”
· Finally, “Nor does divine Providence deny the help necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God, but who strive to live a good life.