A MAT, A HOLE, AND A HEALING

A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home.  They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.  Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them.  Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on.  When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

So he said to the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”  He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all.  This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

Mark 2:1-5, 11-12

Capernaum was a fishing and agricultural community of less than 2,000 people.  Peter, James, John, Andrew and Matthew lived in Capernaum and Jesus stopped there often.  If he went there to get away from it all, he should have slipped in under the cover of darkness because the people heard he had come home. 

Jesus stayed in Peter’s home.  Most likely, it would have had small rooms surrounding an open courtyard, course walls, and a roof of earth and straw. 

This story makes me wonder.

A MAT – I wonder about the paralyzed man.  What was so special about him that others were willing to carry him around?  Did he have a way of telling a good story?  Was he a good listener?  Did he give good advice?  Was he someone they had known since childhood?  How and when did he become paralyzed?  Did he ask them to take him to Jesus or was it their idea?  How did it feel to be carried around on that mat when everyone around you could walk?

A HOLE – I wonder about the roof and the hole.  How did they get up there?  Was it safe to be on a roof of earth and straw?  How did they not fall through?  How come the pictures never show people with straw in their hair and brushing dirt off their shoulders?  If someone made an opening in the roof by digging through it, it would have been a bit of a mess below.  Did Jesus step out of the way when he heard the digging start?  And why didn’t someone stop them when they heard the noise overhead?

A HEALING – I wonder about the healing.  Did Jesus see their faith in their actions or in their hearts?  Or both?  What did the man think when Jesus told him his sins are forgiven?  Did he realize he could get up then or did it not sink in until Jesus told him to get up and go home?  What did it feel like to stand and be able to walk?  What were his friends thinking?  Were they giving high fives?  Or were there tears in their eyes?  How did it feel to witness this healing?  To be amazed?

I WONDER

Would I be willing to carry a friend?

Could I support that friend not worrying what others thought?

Would Jesus see my faith?

Would I believe when I heard “your sins are forgiven” and walk away from what paralyzed me?

A MAT.  A HOLE.  A HEALING.

I wonder……………….