Leaking roof, Lent, Duty

Posted on By pukeko
Altar, Florence
Altar, Florence

God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept my prayers; and because in my weakness I can do nothing good without you, give me the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments I may please you in both will and deed; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Roof is being repaired at work. Most of our meeting rooms are on an upper floor, and the recent storms we have had led to leaks through both roof and skylight, One morning I came to work to find a pool of water on my desk, with water dripping through the computer.we nave to navigate buckets placed to capture the drips, and the entire roof is covered with scaffolding. My bosses’ office has a marked bulge in the ceiling where eater id dripping through the ceiling. So my initial thought when I read this passage was architectural — they removed the roof and dug through (was the ceiling plastered? Was there a tiled roof? Not the theology.

But the theology is fairly simple. Christ has the authority to forgive sins. Healing is also within his power — but the forgiveness of sins is the main issue, and healing was a demonstration.

Mark 2:1-12

1When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2So 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. 3Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4And 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. 5When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7“Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8At once Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said to them, “Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? 9Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and take your mat and walk’? 10But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” – he said to the paralytic – 11“I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home.” 12And 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!”

I was looking for illustrations (Twitter is useful for some things) around this period and Lent and found this, because I think it includes a common error.

The example of the Paralytic and the friends gives us a correction. The friends did not think about everyone, or that their friend was not important enough to see this Jesus. Instead they carried him… ruined a roof, and lowered him to see Jesus. Knowing that they would be consequences. Accepting that at times it is better to seek forgiveness than permission.

 

We need to do good, yes, but it has to start at home. It has to start with family, our friends, for we have a natural duty to provide and care for them. Then it must go out. I think this is one reason that Peter told Anias and Sapphira that their property was theirs to do with what they pleased. Just do not lie about it, and show false piety. I also think this is why elders have to be husbands and fathers who care for their family, for the family is a witness to their stewardship.

And then we should do good, indeed, where we are. The rest of the world is a mission field, but ours is where we live now. We have to do good and live rightly in the circumstances we find ourselves. We have to provide for each other and care for each other regardless of the difficulties. Crippled or whole, breaking down walls or fixing a roof. But let is not lie to ourselves. It looks petty.