Paralysis

There are many ways in which we may find ourselves paralyzed.

When he 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 them selves; 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!’ - Mark 2:1-12

In today's Gospel reading, Jesus is stuck indoors with no way out.  In a way, he is paralyzed in place.

The man being brought to him is physically paralyzed.  The scribes are paralyzed in thought, unable to see that Jesus could be the Messiah.

That leaves us with everyone who comes to see him.  They are not paralyzed in fear of the Romans or those in power.  They come with hope.

Hope combats paralysis.  Without hope, we are depressed, dejected and demoralized by fear.  We can do nothing.  But with hope, all things are possible.

With hope, we can overcome.  

We could use a little hope right now.  Hope will lead us to believe the future will be better than the present.  But so many of us want to stay paralyzed, believing that things will get worse, that evil will reign.

I refuse to give in to that fear.  I have hope and faith in others, as well as faith in God.

We can take up our mats from here and go forward.  Or we can resign ourselves to the reality we know, and stay paralyzed.

More to come...