Doubling Down

Walk it Back or Double Down.

Those two phrases seem to sum up our options.

Our next step after making an outrageously extreme statement.

A statement that sounds obviously false or clearly crazy.

We can walk it back to something more plausible or defensible.

But if we really believe it—or if we’re crazy—we can double down.

Those phrases seem to have gained recent popularity.
I don’t think I’d heard them used that way before this election cycle.

But now we hear them a thousand times a day.

Well, maybe I should walk that back.

Now we hear them almost every day.

Not only regarding our own U.S. elections, but elsewhere.

Like with the victorious Brexit “Leave” proponents.

Walking back the grand benefits they claimed exit would bring.

In today’s Gospel,
The scribes perceive an outrageously extreme statement.

Jesus telling the paralytic Your sins are forgiven.

The scribes take offense at his words.

They’re thinking, Who does this guy think he is?

This is blasphemy!

Jesus tells them that he knows their thoughts.

That mind-reading alone could have given them some clue of his power.

But they could dismiss that as just a lucky guess.

It’s not too surprising that they’d be thinking blasphemy.

So Jesus does more.

He doubles down, asking:

Which is easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven” or “Rise and walk”?

Neither statement could be effective 

Unless it summoned the power of God.

Any fake healer could easily say the words, Your sins are forgiven.

And no one could prove or disprove that those words were effective.

But a fake healer would not so easily dare to say, Rise and walk.

The lack of true power and authority behind those words

Would be immediately evident to all.

So, the physical healing would be the more impressive act.

But which would be the greater gift?

The physical healing is certainly great.

It’s amazing, it’s immediate, it gives new life and happiness.

But what if we had to choose between the two gifts—

What if we wanted both but could have only one of them?

Physical healing or God’s forgiveness.

That question brings to mind a prayer from St Ignatius.

Take Lord and receive,

All my liberty, my memory, my understanding, my entire free will.

All that I have and call my own.

You have given it all to me, Lord.

To you I return it.

All of it is yours.

Take it and do with it what you will.

Give me only your love and your grace.

That is enough for me.

Give me only your love and your grace.

He extends that deep Fatherly love and he never walks it back.

He doubles down with his abundant and extreme forgiveness.

We already have all that.

What more could we possibly need?

Thursday, 13th Week of Ordinary Time

Mt 9:1-8   Read this Scripture @usccb.org