Mark 2,1-12: How does forgiveness and healing come about in this story?

The story Mark tells us is a story of forgiveness and healing. Thus in a way it fits quite well into the theme of your Jubilee Year: God of Life – reconcile us.

But how does forgiveness and healing come about in this story?

First let us look at the paralytic. He may be what we call a physically disabled person, even though I think this word is wrong seeing how able many of the so called disabled are – take father Stephen for example. Anyway – this paralytic may have indeed  a physical handicap that makes him unable to walk.

It might be however, that he is also paralysed in his soul. You know under the rule of the Roman empire, many people were exposed to a lot of violence, they lost their loved ones, they were humiliated and suffered from economical injustice. These experiences left many scars in their body and in their soul as well. Some decided to fight against the oppressors with what we would today call terrorist attacks. Yet others lost all their hope and resigned. They expected no more help , neither from men nor from God.

Resignation is a very strong form of paralysis and widely spread. People who have resigned are unable to move in their spirit, they cannot envision any change in their life and they give themselves up the way they give up hope for this world.

I have met many people who say: there is nothing I can do to make things better. The world has always been unjust and it will be that way forevermore. You just have to accept your fate. This may be similar in your country. But here you may have also encountered people without hope among the war victims, traumatized by what they have seen and experienced.

In our story luckily some people who are on their way to Jesus have noticed the one unable to move. Many others were so preoccupied getting near to Jesus for themselves that they didn't stop. But these people did. We don’t know how many they were. What we are told is that four of them bowed down to him and took his stretcher, determined to take him with them to Jesus.

Now try to picture these 4. Do you see them only as strong young men, such as you are? Why? There could be a weaker one among them- because sharing the heavy load makes it easier for everyone. And shouldn't it be possible that these 4 were women, since women often are especially sensitive to the needs of others and often ready to take on the burden of helping?

Well, we will never find out who these 4 persons were and maybe it is not that important. What is important is that they managed not only to talk about the help that was needed seeing the suffering person. They unified in  practical help. And I think that serves well as an orientation for Church unity. I don`t debate that there is a time for theological dialogue and debate. But as Father Jerome has said in his lecture, dialogue alone will probably not lead to unity. It takes more, it takes unifying on a common mission, on the help for the helpless and the hopeless. And already there are good examples that this works worldwide.

There is so much suffering – not only in this country. Ask Kasareka or Rev Vibila about the long period of violence and massacres in the Congo, causing more than 4 Million victims! And ask me about the suffering among the affluent!

I very much cherish the concept of this College, which combines high standards of theological education with very challenging field work. It seems you all are quite aware, that coming close to Jesus for your own self is not enough. Like D. Bonhoeffer said: Church is only church if it church for others!

Also I am very much impressed how you are working together: Tamils and Sinhalese, people from rural areas and cities, Members of different denominations. Keep on with that! Because in terms of our biblical story: if only one lets go of the stretcher, the paralytic will fall. The suffering need our unity in the spirit of Christ!

Now in the biblical story the 4 bearers face an unexpected problem: As they arrive at the house where Jesus is preaching, there are so many people that they cant get through with the stretcher.

So what can they do? Turn back and say: well, sorry, but there is no way for you? No, they have to become inventive, if they remain determined to get the paralytic to Jesus. So what they do is, they open the roof of that house and slide the stretcher down. A rather uncommon thing to do to say the least. Actually what they do against the law. But in order to bring hopeless and paralysed people to Jesus you have to be inventive.  and even risk to break the law. The Bishop of the Methodist church clearly stated this in his pastoral letter some days ago challenging you to speak up for those who have no own voice and to share their suffering. May the Holy Spirit inspire you and give you the courage to do what has to be done for the sake of your people!

In the end of our story the 4 bearers have  achieved their goal. The paralytic is lying in front of Jesus. That’s alle they can do. At this point they have reached the limits of their human possibilies. And it is important to know where those limit are. Let me illustrate it with a homiletical example: it is our task to communicate the gospel as well as possible  That is what we are training for. But it is beyond our power to make peole accept Jesus as Lord, to put their trust in him and in him alone. Jesus has to accomplish this himself.

But in our story there is a remarkable phrase: It says: Jesus saw their faith, the faith of the 4 bearers and in response to their faith he forgives and heals the paralytic, who up to this point seems to remain hopeless and in resignation. Jesus values the faith of those who brought the suffering person to him very highly. Keep this in mind and stick to your trust in the healing power of Jesus also for those who cannot believe. Step into their place and hope for the ones who cannot hope. In his mercy Jesus will surely respond to your faith and reconcile the hopeless to God and to Life.