Friday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Being in the “helping profession” of counseling as well as the ministry of spiritual direction, not to mention the ministry of mothering (yes, even as they enter later adolescence and young adulthood), I am used to “carrying” others in a sense. That’s a role I am comfortable with and believe that’s where God uses my gifts. I am also aware, however, that sometimes I am the one who needs to be “carried.” Today’s gospel reading gives us an opportunity to reflect on our place in the story: as the one being carried and lowered through the roof to Jesus, or one of those doing the carrying. Let’s take a closer look.
It’s a familiar story for most of us, yet some details that seemed insignificant in the past stand out to me now. In many other gospel stories of Jesus’ healing, He says “your faith has saved you.” In this story, however, the emphasis seems to be on the faith of the four men who brought the paralyzed man to Jesus. We read, “Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him. After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him, “Child, your sins are forgiven.” (Mark 2:4-5)
Jesus seems to be most impressed by the faith of those who carried (and broke through the roof for) the man who was unable to bring himself to Jesus. Presumably if it weren’t for those four men (friends? family? strangers?), the paralyzed man would not have been given that opportunity for healing.
Where are you in this story today? Where am I? Sometimes we’re the ones in need and other times we’re called to carry the other in need. Either way, I am reminded of the importance of community. A community of faith to encourage, uplift, remind, challenge, and sometimes carry one another to Jesus for forgiveness, for healing, for new life.
This weekend, as we reflect on our place in the story, let us listen for guidance and ask for the strength to carry others in their need, and the courage to allow others to carry us in our need. Jesus is waiting.
~Eileen Miller