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Forgiving Sins Today's Gospel reading for Daily Mass is the healing of the paralytic let down to Jesus from the roof of a home as recounted in Luke 5:17-26. The first thing Jesus does is to forgive the man's sins, at which the attending Pharisees and scribes begin to question him for assuming such authority relegated to God alone. Jesus then heals the man of his physical paralysis, having healed him of his spiritual paralysis, to demonstrate His authority. This power to forgive or retain sins was delegated to the disciples themselves in John 20:19-23 when Jesus entered the upper room after His resurrection. That power or authority did not evaporate after the death of the last Apostle - John on the Isle of Patmos - but was conferred and passed on to the Bishops and Priests of the Church by the laying on of hands in episcopal consecrations and priestly ordinations. Thus we have the Sacrament of Confession and Reconciliation, the normal means by which post-baptismal sin may be forgiven. Of course God is NOT limited by this Sacrament and one having perfect contrition may be forgiven regardless. But the Sacrament was given in John's Gospel for our benefit; therefore it behoves us to comply and take advantage of the grace bestowed thereby.