The Gospel According to Jesus Christ Superstar, The First Act: "The Temple"

Jesus walks into a temple to find it turned into a marketplace, rather than a place of worship. His reaction is anger; he flips tables. He yells at everyone. He destroys the place. As the area clears, he walks across the stage, and someone approaches him.

See my eyes, I can hardly see

Another person walks onstage.
See me stand, I can hardly walk

And another.
I believe you can make me whole 

And another.
See his tongue he can hardly talk.

And another.
See my skin I’m a mass of blood
Change my life, oh I know you can.

The crowd grows. They repeat themselves over and over, telling Jesus their ails and begging him to fix them.
I believe you can make me well

They know that Jesus can fix them.
Won’t you touch, will you heal me, Christ / Will you kiss, can you cure me Christ?

They reach for him. They grab at his clothing. They pull him in every direction.

See my skin I’m a mass of blood
Will you touch will you mend me, Christ?
Change my life, oh I know you can
Won’t you touch, will you heal me Christ?

 As they do this, Jesus gets progressively more flustered. He’s trying. He’s trying his best to get to everyone. To touch them. To help them. To cure them. 

 There's too many of you; don't push me
There's too little of me; don't-don't crowd me
Don't crowd…
Oh…
Heal yourselves!

Overwhelmed.

I am reminded of the time I sat in church and heard the story of Jesus healing the paralytic. Jesus returned to Capernaum. He was in a house, and so many people came to see him that the house was packed. Everyone who wanted to get in couldn’t get in. A few men took their friend to roof and lowered him down. He ends up in front of Jesus who says, “by faith, you are healed.” In any sermon, this is a story about the strength of faith. Anything is possible if your faith is strong enough.

That’s not what the story was for me. And it has been the basis of my reluctance to pray ever since. Perhaps I’m overthinking it (I mean…it’s very likely I’m overthinking it) but all I can think of now is how overwhelmed Jesus must have been every time he went to a new city. People would crowd him. They’d pull at his robes. They’d lower their friends down from a roof! He was just some young guy who was suddenly responsible for healing everyone. Surely, he couldn’t get to them all? Surely, he felt like he was being spread too thin?