Son Roof

When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them. Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” At once Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said to them, “Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and take your mat and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . .” he said to the paralytic “I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home.” And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

I’ve read and preached this passage more than a couple of times. It’s just good material! But a few weeks back, during a particularly stressful night, I reached for my bible, read this passage, and found myself no longer able to agree with the amazed crowd: I have seen something like this before!

One chapter earlier, Mark records the moment when God invaded the space and time of humanity. God, ripping a hole in the sky, lowers God’s voice down through the sky above, and says, “You are my Son, the beloved; with you I am well pleased.” Now, just a few short stories later, humanity is returning the favor! A handful of devoted friends rip a hole in the ceiling above, lower their paralyzed friend through the hole, and the voice of compassion incarnate speaks, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” This is life imitating art imitating life! Talk about being made in God’s image! I was moved to see that the love affair between God and humanity is not above ripping holes in the sky, the ceiling, or even our own misconceptions about God’s propensity to forgive sins.

I think it also important to recognize the embrace of community in this moment. The recipient of this great gift, at least as the story records it, asked for none of this. The friends took the prerogative to seek out Jesus. The friends took the initiative to remove boundaries separating their friend from Jesus. In a pre-Americans-with-Disabilities-Act era, this community found their own way to remove obstacles to participation in the community of God’s people.
And what about the real question? Which is harder? To forgive sins or escape paralysis? The answer being, of course, “Yes.” They are both pretty difficult, and at least metaphorically related. Sin is its own form of paralysis, sometimes even robbing the people who need help most of access to it. And paralysis comes in many forms, even beyond issues of sin. Sometimes a relationship, sometimes a project at work or school, sometimes a painful memory. Hey, pick your own pet paralysis, your own stock footage of shame and regret in the TiVo of your mind. Guess what? We’ve all got ‘em. What we hopefully also have are friends who will refuse to let us stay imprisoned on our mats. Hey, some days you might be able to shake it off, find your own way, and seek help as needed. But there may come a day when the gentle but strong support of friends of faith will be what overcomes the barriers, rips holes in roofs, and brings us back to the place where our ears can be greeted with the strangely soothing words, “Oh, my son, oh my daughter! Whatever else happens today, please know this: I forgive you. Get up and walk. It's OK to go home now.”