Caput LIII. De paralytico per tegulas invecto et corporaliter spiritualiter que sanato.
The Paralytic Lowered Through the Roof
Aelred marvels at Christ's mercy in healing the paralytic, who received forgiveness of sins and bodily healing without any prior confession, contrition, or satisfaction.
And you will not pass by that house, where the paralytic is lowered through the tiles before his feet, where compassion and power met each other.✦ "Son," he said, "your sins are forgiven" (Matt.✦ IX, 2). O marvelous mercy! O mercy beyond all telling!1 The fortunate man received forgiveness of sins—forgiveness that no confession had preceded, no act of satisfaction had earned, no contrition had demanded.2 He was seeking health of body, not of soul—and he received health of both body and soul. Truly, Lord, life is in your will.
Mercy That Silences Grumbling
Aelred turns from the scriptural scene to exhort the reader to weep, pray, and lift pure hands and hearts to God, while noting that the paralytic had done none of these things beforehand yet received forgiveness.
If you've decided to save us, no one would dare ask, 'Why do you do that?' Pharisee, what do you have to grumble about with me? Is your eye evil because I myself am good? He will certainly have mercy on whomever he chooses. Let us weep and pray that he wills it.✦ Let our speech be enriched through good works as well; let devotion grow; let love be stirred up. Let pure hands be lifted in prayer — hands that the blood of uncleanness has not stained, that no unlawful touch has defiled, that avarice has not provoked.✦ Let the heart also be lifted, without anger and dispute, because tranquility has calmed it, peace has composed it, and the purity of conscience has given it life. But this paralytic isn't recorded to have done any of these things beforehand — yet he is recorded to have deserved forgiveness of sins.
The Ineffable Power of Mercy
Aelred warns that while Christ can effectively forgive whomever he wishes, no one should expect forgiveness without contrition, confession, and prayer.
This is the ineffable power of his mercy: just as it is blasphemous to detract from it, so it is equally the height of foolishness to presume upon it for oneself. He can say effectively to whomever he wishes what he said to that paralytic: 'Your sins are forgiven you.'✦ But whoever expects this to be said to him without any effort of his own—without contrition, without confession, without even prayer—his sins will never be forgiven.
Read the original Latin
Sed et domum illam non praeteribis, ubi per tegulas paralyticus ante pedes ejus submittitur, ubi pietas et potestas obviaverunt sibi. Fili, inquit, remittuntur tibi peccata tua (Matth. IX, 2). O mira clementia! o indicibilis misericordia! Accepit felix remissionem peccatorum, quam non praecesserat confessio, non meruerat satisfactio, non exigebat contritio. Corporis salutem petebat, non animae: et salutem recepit corporis et animae. Vere, Domine, vita in voluntate tua.
Si decreveris salvare nos, non est qui audeat dicere, Cur ita facis? Pharisaee, a te quid murmuras? an oculus tuus nequam est, quia ipse bonus est? Certe miseretur cui voluerit; ploremus et oremus ut velit. Bonis etiam operibus pinguescat oratio, augeatur devotio, dilectio excitetur. Leventur purae manus in oratione, quas non sanguis immunditiae maculavit, tactus illicitus non foedavit, non exasperavit avaritia. Levetur et cor sine ira et disceptatione, quod tranquillitas sedavit, pax composuit, puritas conscientiae animavit. Sed nihil horum paralyticus iste legitur praemisisse, qui tamen legitur remissionem peccatorum meruisse.
Haec est ineffabilis ejus misericordiae virtus, cui sicut blasphemum est derogare, ita et hoc sibi praesumere stultissimum. Potest cuicumque vult hoc ipsum efficaciter dicere, quod dixit illi paralytico, Dimittuntur tibi peccata tua. Sed quicumque sine suo labore, vel contritione, vel confessione, vel etiam oratione sibi hoc dicendum exspectat; nunquam ei remittentur peccata sua.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Mark.2.1-Mark.2.12;Matt.9.1-Matt.9.8 — And when he had entered again into Capernaum, after some days it was reported that he was at home. Mark.2.2 — And many gathered together, so that there was no longer room, not even near the door. And he was speaking the word to them. Mark.2.3 — And they came, carrying a paralytic to him, being carried by four men. Mark.2.4 — And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof where he was; and after breaking it open, they lowered the mat on which the paralytic lay. Mark.2.5 — And seeing their faith, Jesus says to the paralytic, 'Child, your sins are forgiven.' Mark.2.6 — But some of the scribes were sitting there, reasoning in their hearts, Mark.2.7 — Why does this man speak this way? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone? Mark.2.8 — And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they were reasoning thus within themselves, said to them, "Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts?" Mark.2.9 — Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat, and walk'? Mark.2.10 — But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins—he says to the paralytic— Mark.2.11 — I say to you, rise, take up your mat, and go to your house. Mark.2.12 — And he got up, and immediately picked up the mat, and went out before all of them, so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!" Matt.9.1 — And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city. Matt.9.2 — And behold, they were bringing to him a paralytic lying on a bed. And seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, 'Take heart, child; your sins are forgiven.' Matt.9.3 — And some of the scribes said among themselves, 'This man is blaspheming.' Matt.9.4 — And Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?" Matt.9.5 — For which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'? Matt.9.6 — But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins — then he says to the paralytic, 'Get up, take your mat, and go home.' Matt.9.7 — And having risen, he went to his own house. Matt.9.8 — When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
- ↩Matt.9.2 — And behold, they were bringing to him a paralytic lying on a bed. And seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, 'Take heart, child; your sins are forgiven.'
- ↩Rom.9.15 — For he says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.'
- ↩1Tim.2.8 — I desire, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or disputing.
- ↩Mark.2.5;Matt.9.2;Luke.5.20 — And seeing their faith, Jesus says to the paralytic, 'Child, your sins are forgiven.' Matt.9.2 — And behold, they were bringing to him a paralytic lying on a bed. And seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, 'Take heart, child; your sins are forgiven.' Luke.5.20 — And seeing their faith, he said, 'Man, your sins are forgiven you.'
Notes
- 1 ↩indicibilis rendered as 'beyond all telling' to capture the sense of inexpressibility; alternatives include 'unspeakable' or 'inutterable.'
- 2 ↩The sentence emphasizes the gratuitous nature of the pardon: the paralytic received remission without the usual penitential steps (confession, satisfaction, contrition), underscoring grace preceding merit.
De institutione inclusarum (A Rule of Life for a Recluse) companion
A rule only lives if you keep it daily
Chosen Portion gives your new rule its anchor: one free devotional portion every day.
Aelred built his sister's day around fixed times of prayer and meditation; Chosen Portion supplies the fixed daily portion that makes a modern rule of life keepable.
- Anchor your rule with a fixed 10-minute daily portion
- Practice Aelred's threefold meditation with guided daily prompts
- Review and adjust your one-page rule after 30 days of tracked practice