My Astounding version of the Gospel Story of the paralyzed man being lowered through the roof to be healed by Jesus
Maybe you’ve heard the Gospel story sometime during your life—how Jesus is doing healings in a town where the crowds are huge, so a paralyzed man’s friends lift him on his pallet up on the rooftop and break a hole through the roof to lower him down to be healed by Jesus. Oh, to have such friends, you might be thinking, but that was 2000 years ago and Jesus ain’t around no more!
Wanna bet?!
I’ve finally gotten it clear that these past 9 months in Utah have been about two things: being closer to and having adventures with my children, and doing deep, deep healing work on my childhood PTSD trauma. I’ve been working on healing this trauma and its attendant memories and body illnesses for decades, but the Creator has found a different therapy—EMDR--and terrific therapist for me right here to do that excruciating work so I can be happier and more trusting the rest of my life.
A few nights ago, I had a bad dream. I was floating on a vast ocean and all I had to hold onto was a small, 4x4 foot plastic raft! I was frightened and I kept looking for a paddle but couldn’t find anything but flimsy floating grass. When I awoke (gratefully), I interpreted this raft, LIFE raft, as a metaphor for my emotional life right now. Though I had some hope for my future life—the raft’s blue—I felt very vulnerable and scared, fearing I might not survive.
My younger sister Erika was having a very different experience that night.
She had gone with her husband to an Orthodox church service where they are recent members. The congregation stands and sing for two hours. Years ago, I attended a service and found it deep and moving. Erika has been my prayer warrior throughout this past year, for my heath—cancer had again ravaged my body, this time almost taking my right upper arm—and most recently we had been sharing our healing of trauma processes.
Not long into the service, she thought about me and said, “I’m taking Pam with me up to the front for healing!”
However, seeing Jesus standing there, she asked him, “Is it time?” but he didn’t give her the go-ahead look. (Yes, she is a modern mystic, with a strong personal relationship with the living
Jesus, and insists that Jesus wants this relationship with each of us.) She kept asking as the service went on with more singing. There were no spoken words or messages, just continual chanting. Each time she looked for his permission, she was denied. Finally, when the service was almost over, Jesus nodded at her and she brought me forward.
As we walked up to him, I leaned heavily upon her. I was barely able to stand, and my legs looked almost transparent—no energy or life in them—like I was paralyzed. Then, waiting and wondering what Jesus would do, she watched as right before her eyes, I grew younger and younger, until I was about 8 years old! Jesus beheld my leg with a firm gaze, until they grew full of strength and energy, even rosy with color!
Then Jesus yelled to me, “Tag! You’re it!” and we started running all around the church, I hiding behind or among the pews, him chasing me, robe sleeves flying and flapping, and we laughed and shrieked with delight, as only children can do! Erika said later that she scarcely remembered seeing me in my actual childhood with such joy and freedom.
And then it was over.
Erika shared this vision with me, and we both pondered it and felt it was real.
And the probable reason Jesus held Erika and me back for so long? Because the congregation was (unknowingly) praying and singing and thus raising the energy field so that Jesus was able to do his healing work with me! She was just like the paralytic man’s faith-filled friends who wouldn’t take NO for an answer. They found a way, un-orthodox (pun intended) as it was!
So, my dear friends, I’m sharing this with you so that if you are at all like me, wanting to be healed and to be made new, Jesus wants to help you, too. Yes, it will be in his time, and we must do all we can with our conscious minds and free will to aid our own healing. But this story is a testament to two truths. First, that we as friends can and do have a powerful impact on each other’s healing. And second, that Jesus still lives and walks and PLAYS among us! He wants us to be whole and joyful! “I have [come] that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” (John 15:11)
Praise God! Hallelujah!
(In photo, Erika’s on the left and I’m on the right)
