Saints LightHow Did Jesus Heal and Forgive?
Jesus healed sick people and forgave sins, showing that He is God and that He came to heal our bodies and our hearts.
Everywhere Jesus went, people brought Him the sick. He made blind people see, helped people who could not walk to stand up, and even raised a little girl back to life. These amazing acts are called miracles. They showed that Jesus truly came from God and that God's kingdom was arriving (CCC 547-548).
One day Jesus was teaching in a house so crowded that no one could reach the door. Four friends carried a man who could not walk up onto the roof, made an opening and lowered him down right in front of Jesus. Jesus saw their faith and said: Son, your sins are forgiven.
Some people grumbled, because only God can forgive sins. They were right about that! But Jesus is God. To show that He had this power, He told the man to get up and walk home, and the man did (CCC 1441).
Jesus cared about people's bodies, but He cared even more about their hearts. Sin hurts our friendship with God even more than sickness hurts our bodies. Jesus came to heal both (CCC 1503).
Notice the four friends. They could not heal their friend, but they could bring him to Jesus. You can do that too, by praying for people who are sick or sad. Jesus still heals today, especially through the sacraments, and He always hears our prayers, even when His answer is not what we expected.
Key points
- Jesus' miracles showed that He came from God.
- Only God forgives sins, and Jesus is God.
- We bring others to Jesus by praying for them.
The Word of God
Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”
Go your way. Your faith has made you well.
Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.
Catechism paragraphs for this lesson
- CCC 547-548
- CCC 1441
- CCC 1503
CCC means the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Saints Light teaches it in its own words and never quotes it. Look up any paragraph in a printed copy or at vatican.va. See every lesson by paragraph in the Catechism index.
Live it this week
Make a list with your family of people who are sick, lonely or sad, and pray for one of them each night this week. If you can, send one of them a card.
Check yourself: three questions
1. What is a miracle?
- A magic trick
- A lucky accident
- A wonderful act of God's power
- A kind of medicine
Show the answer
A wonderful act of God's power. Miracles are signs of God's power that showed Jesus truly came from God.
2. What did Jesus say first to the man lowered through the roof?
- Your sins are forgiven
- Please use the door
- Come back tomorrow
- Who broke the roof?
Show the answer
Your sins are forgiven. Jesus healed the man's heart first by forgiving his sins, and then healed his body.
3. How can you be like the four friends?
- By climbing on roofs
- By staying away from sick people
- By waiting for someone else to help
- By praying for people and bringing them to Jesus
Show the answer
By praying for people and bringing them to Jesus. The friends brought the man to Jesus. We do the same when we pray for others.
Words to know
- Miracle
- A wonderful sign that only God's power can do.
More terms in the Catholic glossary. More passages in the Scripture index.
For catechists: a one hour class plan
Goal. The children will know that Jesus healed bodies and forgave sins because He is God, and will begin bringing others to Him in prayer.
Opener. Ask: "When you were sick, who took care of you? How did it feel to be cared for?" Then: "Jesus cared for sick people everywhere He went."
Discussion questions
- Why did the four friends go to so much trouble? [They loved their friend and believed Jesus could help.]
- Why did people grumble when Jesus forgave sins? [Only God forgives sins. They did not yet see that Jesus is God.]
- Which is worse, a sick body or a heart hurt by sin? [Help them see that Jesus cares about both, and our hearts most of all.]
- Does God always answer our prayers? [Yes, always, though sometimes the answer is wait, or something better than we asked.]
Activity. Through the roof: cut a hole in a shoebox lid for a roof. Children make a little mat from a strip of cloth or paper, tie yarn to the four corners and lower a paper figure down to a picture of Jesus inside the box. Then each child writes the name of someone who needs prayer on a paper bandage and places it in a prayer basket. Pray for every name together.
Closing prayer. Jesus, our healer, we bring You everyone in this basket. Touch their bodies and their hearts. Forgive us our sins and make us whole. Thank You for always hearing us. Amen.
Timing. Welcome and Sign of the Cross 5 min, caring opener 5 min, read the lesson aloud 10 min, discussion 10 min, roof model and prayer basket 15 min, memory verse 5 min, quiz together 5 min, closing prayer 5 min.
Related lessons
- the forgiveness of sins (The Creed, free)
- How Do I Go to Confession? (The Sacraments)
- Why Confess to a Priest? (Hard Questions)
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