Gospel in Art: I order you: get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home

The Paralytic lowered through the Roof by Bernard Picart, Gerrit de Broen Jr, Amsterdam ©Alamy

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 11 December 2023
Luke 5:17-26

Jesus was teaching one day, and among the audience there were Pharisees and doctors of the Law who had come from every village in Galilee, from Judaea and from Jerusalem. And the Power of the Lord was behind his works of healing. Then some men appeared, carrying on a bed a paralysed man whom they were trying to bring in and lay down in front of him. But as the crowd made it impossible to find a way of getting him in, they went up on to the flat roof and lowered him and his stretcher down through the tiles into the middle of the gathering, in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith he said, 'My friend, your sins are forgiven you.' The scribes and the Pharisees began to think this over. 'Who is this man talking blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?' But Jesus, aware of their thoughts, made them this reply, 'What are these thoughts you have in your hearts? Which of these is easier: to say, "Your sins are forgiven you" or to say, "Get up and walk"? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,' - he said to the paralysed man - 'I order you: get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home.' And immediately before their very eyes he got up, picked up what he had been lying on and went home praising God.

They were all astounded and praised God, and were filled with awe, saying, 'We have seen strange things today.'

Reflection on the engraving

Quite regularly in life, we come across various kinds of barriers that we have to negotiate. We set ourselves a goal and then encounter barriers. The temptation can be to lose heart, to give up or to turn back. This is what happened in today's Gospel reading. The friends of a paralysed man who wanted to get their friend to Jesus found that other people were blocking their way. They wanted to get close to Jesus and they couldn't. I am always struck by the close, loving friendship these men must have had.

Rather than give up or turn back, they found a way around the barrier, climbing up onto a roof with their friend and letting him down through the tiles before Jesus. Jesus was very taken by their faith… their persistent faith. Here was a little community of faith, the paralytic and his friends, who kept their focus on the Lord and on journeying towards him, despite the obstacles. In many ways this little community of faith can be an inspiration for us this Advent season when we are called to keep journeying towards the Lord, to keep our focus on him, in spite of whatever may on the face of it prevent us from getting close to him.

Our engraving was made in Amsterdam circa 1715. The engravers Bernard Picart (1673-1733), and Gerrit de Broen worked closely to render a dramatic depiction of today's reading. Note how directly underneath the main illustration, todays' Gospel reference of Luke is given. Below that we find inscriptions in Greek, English, German, Latin, French and Dutch, showing how this print was meant for an international audience. Indeed already at the time these prints would be exported all over Europe and beyond.

Jesus surprised his audience (which we can see clearly depicted in our engraving) by first saying to the man, 'Your sins are forgiven'. The paralytic needed spiritual as well as physical healing and his spiritual healing took priority.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/luke-5-17-26-2023/