We are all sinners. For some of us the awareness takes a long time to come. The ability to admit ones sinfulness is humbling at best. In my morning prayer, there was a beautiful prayer to the Father:
"God of mercy and compassion, you hold out to us the hand of your mercy to raise us up from the misery our selfish sinfulenss has brought upon us and upon those whose lives we touch. Teach us to weep where we have caused weeping, to mourn where we have caused mourning, and to lift up what we have brought low. In hope and trust, we turn to you for healing, through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen."
Saint Gregory Palamas who died in 1359 writes the following:
"There are times when illness is better for sinners than good health, because it helps them towards salvation and blunts their inborn evil impulses. Inasmuch as it repays the debt of sins by means of suffering, it makes them able to receive healing of their souls in the first instance, then healing of their bodies. This happens most of all when the sick person, understanding that the affliction is a remedy from God, bears it courageously, falls down before God with faith, and asks for forgiveness, through whatever works he can manage."
This writing was based on the story of the paralytic who was brought to Jesus to be cured. Jesus forgave his sins and then healed him. There are so many stories in the Bible of forgiveness and healing that we begin to realize how intertwined the two are.
God is so gracious and everloving to us, most especially in our sinfulness. If people only knew how much God truly loves them, more would turn to God in prayer.
God bless all!!
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