In today's Gospel, Luke chapter 5, verses 17-26, Jesus says to a paralyzed man, "Your Sins are Forgiven". Jesus declares this in the Synagogue, in the presence of the people, the Pharisees, and the teachers of the law.

It is understood by everyone assembled in the Synagogue, that only God can forgive sins.  Therefore, what is Jesus revealing about himself?  He is showing through His acts of healing and His words, that He is God.

The reaction to Jesus in the Synagogue varies.  The people are amazed and say that "they have seen strange things."  The Pharisees and the teachers of the law are antagonistic. The "friends" who brought the paralyzed man to Jesus are described by Jesus as having "Faith," as demonstrated by the fact, that they had to lower the man through the roof to get to Jesus because of the crowded Synagogue.

Yes, the paralyzed man is healed, but, that is secondary to the importance of this scripture.  Jesus is revealing that He is "God Among Us", and there is no greater revelation than that, in all of human history.

In our Advent Season, we steadily pray, "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel".