Jesus is in the 'house' with his disciples and many other people around him. This event has become one of the most dramatic stories in the Gospel. It is a symbol of the church, the place where the followers of Jesus gather around him. Just then, some men came carrying a paralysed man for Jesus to heal. When they cannot get into the house, they climb up on the roof and, after removing some tiles, they let the man down at the feet of Jesus. Jesus is touched by the man's faith in him and tells him his sins are forgiven. Scribes sitting nearby are shocked; only God can forgive sin. But to prove he has this power, he also tells the man to get up and take his bed home with him. All are amazed. They probably believed the paralysis was punishment for the man's sin. Now, since there is no paralysis, there is no sin either. We might ask if we are spiritually paralysed in the sense that there are many things in our lives which prevent us from following Jesus in the way we know we should. Let us pray for healing and freedom.