Day Sixty-Nine -- A ministry of healing body and soul

Matthew 5:1 to Matthew 15:39

I will admit right up front that blogging daily about the Gospels is going to be tough for the reason that so much material is covered in any one day's reading.  Where to begin, and what to comment on?  The Sermon on the Mount, the sending forth of the apostles, the parables of the kingdom of heaven, the feeding of the five thousand - and add to all of this the time over the year that I've spent reflecting on, reading commentaries, and writing sermons on these texts.  As we get into these stories that are more familiar to Christians, I'd love to hear your reactions to the daily readings - something that has spoken to you either in the past, or has carried you through your faith journey, or perhaps something new that you have received from the scripture.

One thing that I noticed about today's reading is the large amount of time that Jesus spends healing people and how little attention is given to talking about sin.  In fact, Jesus does not even mention sin until he heals a paralyzed man who has been carried to him by the man's friends.  When in response Jesus says, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven" (Matthew 9:2), the teachers of the law become unglued.  The opposition to Jesus' ministry begins with a charge of blasphemy (in the understanding of the teachers only God can forgive sins, and Jesus is seen only as a human being).  Once fault has been found in Jesus by the keepers of the tradition he is questioned on other matters.  Why does Jesus eat with tax collectors and sinners?  Why don't his disciples fast?  Why do they pick grain on the Sabbath? Why does Jesus think it's lawful to heal people on the Sabbath? 

It would be interesting to know what Jesus' disciples are thinking at this point.  Is Jesus a religous radical who is determined to upend tradition, or is he the One to bring forth the radical nature of God's healing and love for humanity?