A5- PART N

PART N: Preference confirmed
At this point four young men came on the scene.
Between them they were carrying a friend.
He was completely paralysed, and lay
upon a stretcher. They were very keen –
perhaps they’d carried him for many miles –
that Jesus should have sight of him. Thus, not
to be outdone by doors blocked by folk
who would not move, they hit upon a plan,
and climbing on the flat roof, tile by tile,
they opened up a space just wide enough
to let their sick friend through, and gingerly,
to climb down after him. So! There he was,
exactly as they’d wished, safe and unharmed,
and lying at the feet of him they sought.
When Jesus saw the certainty with which
the youngsters stood, awaiting his response,
he looked down at the prostrate man and said,
‘Your sins are all forgiven. So! Take heart!’
The Scribes and Pharisees said not a word
but everyone took note: for what they heard
was blasphemy. Forgiving sins was God’s
prerogative. It was more evidence
that they could use against this renegade.
But Jesus could read minds and fathom thoughts.
‘Cannot you rid your hearts of spitefulness?’
he asked. ‘You men of learning, tell me this.
Which do you think the easier to say?
“ Your every sin has been forgiven you,”
or “Stand! Pick up your stretcher now, and leave!”
Well, to convince you that the Son of Man
has power and authority on earth
to cleanse a man of sin and to remit
the penalty, watch what will happen now.’
This time, in earnest, the instruction was
repeated, and the paralytic stirred.
‘Get up! Pick up your bed and take it home.’
With every mouth agape, the man stood up
shouldered the load, and made to leave at once
reciting prayers of thanks as he went out.
Thus, fear, amazement, and a deal of shock
was on the faces of those in the room
or those who saw what happened from outside.
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