The story of Jesus and the paralyzed man in Mark 2:1-12 is a powerful one. Jesus is in Capernaum, the fishing town at the north end of the Sea of Galilee that is home base for him. When people learn that he is at home, they flock to the house and fill it to the point of overflowing. Jesus is "preaching the word" of God's love to those in the house when four men arrive carrying a paralyzed man.(he is described with a label: paralytic). Because of the crowd, the four are unable to bring their friend directly to Jesus; there seems to be no "room." Instead of becoming discouraged, or waiting until another day, they climb up on the roof of the house, lift the paralyzed man up, and then "remove the roof." They make a hole in the ceiling! The artwork above depicts the four as having removed planks and lowering their friend to a place directly in front of Jesus. Mark's gospel is even more descriptive, indicating that they may have dug through the roof (which would have been made of saplings, branches, and clay) with great determination!
The story says that "when Jesus saw their faith," he tells the paralyzed man that God's saving power is at work in his life through the faith of his friends. "Faith" is our relationship with God , expressed in our beliefs and actions. It is the way we share love.
By the end of the story, the man is able to stand and walk, carrying the pallet that once carried him. He is no longer paralyzed, or labeled.
--What does this story tell us about friendship?
--What kind of power is at work when we practice true friendship with one another? Can you describe it?
--What role does our faith--our relationship with God, lived out in daily life--have in our friendships?
--There are different ways that we can be "paralyzed" in life, aren't there? We can be paralyzed by fear, confusion, lack of confidence, worry about how others will judge us, nasty ways we have been labeled. How can friends help one another overcome these kinds of paralysis?
Share your thoughts and reflections here, and bring them to class next Wednesday.
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