But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins -- I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house

And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean."  Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed."  Immediately the leprosy left him.  And He charged Him to tell no one, "But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded."  However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities.  So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.

Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem.  And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.  Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him.  And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they were up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the filing into the midst before Jesus.  When He saw their faith, He said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you."  And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies?  Who can forgive sins but God alone?"  But when Jesus received their thoughts, He answered and said to them, "Why are you reasoning in your hearts?  Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise up and walk'?  But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins" -- He said to the man who was paralyzed, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."  Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.  And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen strange things today!"

- Luke 5:12-26

 In yesterday's reading, Jesus was teaching the multitude, who pressed round Him.  He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret (otherwise called the Sea of Galilee).  He saw some empty fishing boats, as the fishermen were washing their nets.  One of the boats was owned by Simon Peter, and Jesus got in and asked him to put out a little from the land.  Jesus sat in the boat and taught the crowds.  Then He said to Peter, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."  But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net."  When Peter put the net down into the water, so many fish entered that it was breaking.  He called his partners, John and James Zebedee, to help.  They came and filled the boats so full of fish that both began to sink.  When Peter saw this, He knelt and said to Jesus, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!"  And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid.  From now on you will catch men."  So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.

And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean."  Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed."   My study bible points out that "leprosy was one of the most dreaded diseases of this time.  It brought great physical suffering, and total banishment from society."  Here, we note His gracious answer to the man's question.  We also note the way the request was framed, with clear understanding of Jesus' authority, and the humility in the man, in his "if You are willing."  My study bible also notes, "Jesus touched this man, both sick and an outcast.  In the healing of this leper, the Lord also demonstrates there i no one in society who is to be left untouched by His gospel."  All may be a part of this community.

Immediately the leprosy left him.  And He charged Him to tell no one, "But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded."  However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities.  So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.  The man must go to the priest in order to be a part of the community once again, as the law required a certificate from a priest that the leper was cleansed.  It's not yet Jesus' time to reveal His full identity.  But nothing can stop this good news from making its rounds.  More and more people come to hear Him, and His ministry multiplies.  My study bible notes, "There are always more people to teach, to heal, to be freed from demons.  But Jesus still takes time for prayer."

Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem.  And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.   Here we see the involvement of the authorities, those who represent the religious establishment, experts in Scriptures and the law.  They are aware of Jesus' ministry -- His fame has gone to all parts of Galilee, and even through Judea and Jerusalem - the center of the religious authority.  Luke tells us, "And the power of the Lord was present to heal them."

Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him.  And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they were up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the filing into the midst before Jesus.   We think of yesterday's reading, and the abundance of fish caught by listening to Jesus.  In this vast Source of creativity, that finds its way contrary to human expectations, we see this reading.  These men seek Christ so deeply for their friend that they find a way to lower him down to Jesus.  Nothing is going to stop them from getting to Christ.

When He saw their faith, He said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you."  And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies?  Who can forgive sins but God alone?"   Again, the example of faith makes the impression on Jesus, just as did the request of the leper, above. The question, "Who can forgive sins but God alone?" is an ironic one, and one that touches on the truth about Jesus.  They know to seek and question; can they accept the answers?

But when Jesus received their thoughts, He answered and said to them, "Why are you reasoning in your hearts?  Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise up and walk'?  But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins" -- He said to the man who was paralyzed, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."  Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.  And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen strange things today!"  Just as Peter was filled with a kind of fear when he saw the great catch of fish from Jesus' directions, so these men are filled with fear and awe.  Jesus clearly demonstrates His divine qualities in three ways here:  He knows their thoughts and reveals them, He forgives sins, and He demonstrates His power to heal the paralysis.  While He has not called Himself the Christ, He uses rather the title Son of Man (see Daniel 7:13).  His Messianic identity remains hidden in plain sight, so to speak.

Paralysis is often seen in tradition as paralysis of the soul, a metaphor for sin.  Church fathers have taught that when we're stuck in sin, we're in a kind of paralysis.   We can't go forward.  If faith is a lifelong journey to Christ, bit by bit a realization of deepening relationship, that sin -- whatever is the matter -- may keep us from realizing the fullness and growth in that relationship.  In the Greek sense of the word, "sin" can be anything that keeps us from Christ.  The word for sin means "missing the mark."  So, in effect, we may carry a burden of sin for something that isn't necessarily caused by ourselves.  A very low sense of self-respect, for instance, can keep us from feeling worthy of the call to Christ, unable to recognize His love and healing in relationship.  A morbid sense of guilt may be a kind of self-centeredness that keeps us from His call to relationship.  Whatever it is that stands in the way of this call, it is "missing the mark."  It keeps us from a closer relationship to God.  It is the thing that must go.  Just as the paralyzed man gets there through help from his friends, not realizing any obstacle that stands in the way, so we should call on all our capabilities to get there.  Often the friends of the paralyzed man are metaphors for asking for prayers from others to help us.  They don't let even those roof tiles stand in the way!  The leper realizes that what God pronounces clean is clean.  All of these are metaphors for the Christian journey through life.  It's a call for closer encounter and relationship to God.  Every day, it seems that I am called upon to let go of something I've held dear, to change a way of thinking or perception, in order to walk the closer walk with Christ.  Whatever we need to let go of, whatever it is that limits our heeding His good news, it's worth the exchange.  It's worth all of our lives to do so.