Jesus saves a lot more than green stamps

Feeling low?  Here’s an upper:

[17] And it came to pass on a certain day, as he sat teaching, that there were also Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, that were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judea and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was to heal them.

[18] And behold, men brought in a bed a man, who had the palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him.

[19] And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in, because of the multitude, they went up upon the roof, and let him down through the tiles with his bed into the midst before Jesus.

[20] Whose faith when he saw, he said: Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.

What was that all about?

[21] And the scribes and Pharisees began to think, saying: Who is this who speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?

[22] And when Jesus knew their thoughts, answering, he said to them: What is it you think in your hearts?

[23] Which is easier to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Arise and walk?

[24] But that you may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say to thee, Arise, take up thy bed, and go into thy house.

[25] And immediately rising up before them, he took up the bed on which he lay; and he went away to his own house, glorifying God.

Wouldn’t you?

[26] And all were astonished; and they glorified God. And they were filled with fear, saying: We have seen wonderful things today.

A fearful authority.  Stunning.

[Luke 15, Douay-Rheims version for today’s gospel reading.]

Bishops hold back

Archbishop John Myers of Newark, once of Peoria, where he instituted conservative measures, has been at the forefront of stemming and facing up to clergy abuse.

But a Star-Ledger review of the archbishops record since 2002 shows Myers on at least four occasions has shielded priests accused of sexual abuse against minors and one adult. In the four instances, the priests have either admitted improper sexual contact, pleaded guilty to crimes stemming from accusations of sexual misconduct or been permanently barred from ministry by the archdiocese after allegations of sexual misconduct.

The archdiocese also wrote a letter of recommendation for one of the priests, a week after it learned he was accused of breaking into a womans home in Florida and possibly assaulting her.

It’s a matter of taking “a cautious hand in publicly naming priests” and feeling the weight of the issue. On the other hand, he

has failed to live up to the guidelines and spirit of what was set forth in Dallas [in 2002, where he was an advocate of sterner
measures]. The most controversial example is the Rev. Michael Fugee, who confessed to police eight years ago that he molested a 13-year-old boy. Fugee was never ousted from the priesthood, and the archdiocese assigned him last year as chaplain to St. Michaels Hospital in Newark without telling hospital officials of his past.

It’s the bishop’s problem in this matter. They can’t pull triggers.