Dr Kelly Fleming

There are two things that are important to me that I like to share with others:

• Issues related to being disabled
• My faith

Today I’m sharing a story that touches my heart. I have a spinal cord injury which has caused paralysis.

One of the most powerful examples of faith, not only by a disabled person but also his friends is found in the Gospel passages of when Jesus was preaching in one particular house in Capernaum.

The house was overflowing with people who had come to hear Him preach to the point that many were gathered outside of the house. There was no way for anyone else to enter.

Four men had brought their friend who was paralyzed to the house, but they could not gain access due to the overflowing crowd. So, the four friends carried the paralyzed man on his mat up to the roof of the house. They tore out the tiles of the roof to make enough space to lower the paralyzed man into the house to come to Jesus.

When Jesus saw the man lowered in front of Him, He saw the great faith that the man and his friends had in the Gospel message He was preaching. So, he told the man “My child, your sins are forgiven.” (Mk. 2:5) This statement raised an uproar amongst the teachers of religious law who had come to hear Jesus preach (not out of faith but to find things He said that were not in accordance with their interpretation of religious law).

When they heard Him say “your sins are forgiven,” they were furious. Only God can forgive sins and here was Jesus, a mere itinerant preacher claiming that He could forgive sins. So, to avoid arguments with these teachers, Jesus said:
“Why do you question this in your hearts? Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or ‘Stand up pick up your mat, and walk?’ So I will prove o you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgiven sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. (2:8-12a)
This account is also given in Luke, chapter 5 and focuses again on the faith of the paralyzed man and his friends. It is their faith, without any miracle that is emphasized. It appears that Jesus healed the man of his paralysis to show the crowd the power that He was given by the Father.

The fact that the four friends literally tore a hole in the roof to make the house where Jesus was preaching accessible for their friend must make one consider the desire of many disabled people to hear the message of the Gospel and like this man’s friends, they wish that existing barriers that prevent full access the Church are torn down.