Me Beyond The Past

During the time Jesus taught among followers and religious authorities,
a few people arrived carrying a paralyzed person on a mat.
Though they tried bringing the person inside to Jesus,
they could not find a way through the crowd.
So they climbed the roof, lowering the person through the tiles,
and placing them before Jesus.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said,
“Friend, your transgressions are forgiven.”

Luke 5:18-20

Some Ideas to Contemplate:

• In this portion of the Luke Writer’s Gospel, although the religious authorities believe that only God (Higher Power, Supreme Energy, Divine Life Essence, etc.) has the power to forgive, Jesus—Master Mystic, Healer, Teacher, Wayshower—demonstrates that God’s love is unconditional.  So, we do not literally need to seek God’s forgiveness for making mistakes because God is not condemning us or angry at us.

• Mystically and metaphysically, we may become paralyzed by past failures and errors.  Going through the crowd and being lowered from the roof can symbolize our faith to progress, heal, and grow beyond where we have been previously.  Because we rarely can remedy a situation at the level it occurred, we must elevate our consciousness (mindset) to a new place of belief and behavior.

• Often in childhood, emotional wellbeing suffers when we believe we are “bad” or “wrong” because we cannot function in a toxic home environment.  We only know what we are taught and/or experience.  Likewise, the religious authorities believe what has been impressed on them for generations: the idea that only God can forgive.  In offering another perspective of God and God’s power within us, Jesus provides spiritual, physical, and emotional healing to the person—and to us—reminding us that we can forgive ourselves and feel worthy, deserving, and loveable now.  

Practices for the Week:

• Remember: You are a spiritual being with a radiant soul, living in a sacred body temple, having human experiences.  
• Reflect on any ways you are paralyzed by the past.
• Illustrate, journal, and/or record some new (elevated) beliefs.
• Then discern some ways you can think and act differently now.

© 2026 – Rev Jenn Sacks – All rights reserved.  

Photo from DepositPhotos by GarnaZarina.