Mark 2:1-12: Which is easier??

Sometimes miracles arn't as impressive as they seem.  On the other hand, sometimes that which doesn't appear impressive at first, upon further consideration, is revealed to be nothing short of miraculous. 
Such is the case with Jesus' healing of the paralytic.  Much has been said, rightfully so, of the paralytic's friends and their willingness to carry him to Jesus.  Similarly, a lot of attention has been given to Jesus' healing of the paralytic.  Again, it's hard to argue against the significance of such an event. 
And yet, sometimes we get so caught up in the glitz and glam of physically impressive miracles, that we fail to come to grips with Jesus' true purpose for performing the miracle to begin with.  It is important to note that rather than stating that the man was "healed", Jesus forgives his sins.  The scribes quickly pick up on this, and even if it's silently, they begin to wonder who this man thinks he is? 
Jesus' response is rooted in his identity as the Son of God.  While others- prophets and apostles specifically- were capable of healing, and even brining the dead back to life, no one, and I mean no one, had ever claimed the ability to forgive sins.  It is true that on occassion prophets would pronounce that forgiveness had been granted (see the story of Nathan and David in II Samuel 12:13 where Nathan pronounces forgiveness, while also being careful to credit the Lord as the one who does the forgiving), but none of them claimed the ability and authority to forgive independently of God.  Just as Jesus authority to teach is inherently a part of him (see Mark 1), so is his ability and willingness to forgive. 
Beyond his ability to forgive, Jesus also shows an uncanny ability to know the thoughts of others.  While Jesus is yet to explicitly claim the mantle of Son of God, his actions implicitly point to who he truly is.  Consider these words from the psalmist:
"Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end, and may you establish the righteous- you who test the minds and hearts, O righteous God!" - Psalm 7:9
In testing the minds and the hearts of the scribes who would challenge his ability to forgive sins, Jesus is indirectly identifying himself as the righteous God who alone is capable of such things! 
More than physical healing, this is a story about forgiveness, namely who it is that has the authority to forgive.  It's also a story about our willingness, and indeed our ability, to receive the forgiveness that is offered so freely.  It is here that the friends of the paralyzed man teach us something about what it means to be a community.  The commentator John R. Donahue states it this way:
 “The text also encourages reflection on the relation between sin and “paralysis”.  Sin can exercise such force that people are unable to move or change.  They may, like the paralyzed man, be dependent on others on the journey to health and restoration.”
While it is God alone who forgives, we as His people are tasked with the sacred responsibility of bringing those in need of forgiveness, broken and paralyzed though they may be, to the feet of Jesus.  And when the "mat" you carry them on gets heavy, call on others of faith to lend a hand and remind yourself that you are only capable of carrying them because at some point, perhaps long ago, someone had enough love and kindness to carry you.  After all, it's only when we see our reflection in the person laying there, paralyzed with sin, that we can truly understand what it means to have been forgiven.