Man on the Mat

MK2:1-12

Try to place yourself at that scene where Jesus is sitting surrounded by the people and the teachers of the law who had come from many places in Judea and Galilee and Jerusalem.  They all pressed close to hear his every word in that place (there were no microphones to amplify his voice) and I’m sure that there was a lot of commotion, with those who were sick trying to get closer, and those carrying the sick trying to make their way to Him, and the Pharisees and Teachers hanging on Jesus every word to try to catch him in something they could accuse him of.  You can feel the excitement of the people mixed with the heat and dust of summer and the pressure of the crowds.

And in the midst of all this there appears being lowered down from the roof, a cripple on a mat!  I’m sure those present would have had a full range of emotions, from amazement to disapproval to frustration and jealousy that this man got ahead of them...But what a tremendous effort and show of faith these four men who carried the crippled man showed that day just to get to Jesus!

Have you ever had to totally trust in someone for something to the point that your very safety was dependent on it? I’m sure that’s how the man crippled from birth felt being lowered through the roof to reach Jesus. Can you imagine, first being lifted onto a roof by others, totally at their mercy then lowered down through it? The fear, the total dependency, the embarrassment, the trust and the hope going through his mind as he was being carried by his friends, being lifted up onto a roof and then lowered to be seen by Jesus! He had to totally let go and place himself in their hands.

It would have been easy for the crippled man’s four friends to just give up or at least get frustrated upon seeing the crowd. Who knows how far they carried him to get there!? Yet they found a way.  These were people who were willing to go to great lengths to help their friend...to climb onto a roof, to open it up, and to have the strength and faith and fortitude to lower his body toward Jesus.

Who knows what they were thinking at the time...but what we do know is what they did. They brought a friend to Jesus. They didn’t give up. They lifted him up with their love and gave of themselves, at some risk and with no thought of personal gain.

They knew that to get their friend the help he needed they had to bring him closer to Jesus.  And they obviously had faith in Jesus to the point that they would do anything to get their friend that help. They had likely heard like the others that to merely touch his cloak was to be cured, so that’s what they were going to do. 

And it is clearly stated in the gospel that Jesus was moved by the faith of these four men. 

In light of this wonderful story of faith in Jesus,

·       Consider how far we would go for a friend,

·       Consider whether or not we’d give of ourselves with no thought of personal gain to help a friend. 

·       Consider how we confront obstacles which keep us from getting closer to Jesus. 

As we are confronted with the things that cripple us in heart and faith, we need to work and pray through obstacles keeping us from Him.

Are we willing to go to great lengths for our neighbor, and do we have the depth of faith and hope in Jesus great mercy to overcome all obstacles which keep us separated from Him?  

The next time you are presented with someone, either friend or stranger, who is in need of help, and is having difficulty encountering Jesus on his own or when you yourself are confronted with a situation which is obscuring your view of Jesus, of course turn to both prayer and sacrifice, but don’t hesitate to pray for and to ask for the prayers of others to help us along the way.

Think of the faith and example of these four men who in a very public sense we could call evangelists because they were literally bringing their friend to Jesus. And just like these four men of faith did, isn’t this exactly what we are all called to do in life?  

We are all missioned and challenged by Jesus from our baptism as Christians and members of the body of Christ to work together to bring ourselves and others to Jesus in total hope and trust.