Seeing Their Faith

Once, when he was in one of the cities, there was a man covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground and begged him, ‘Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean.’ Then Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, ‘I do choose. Be made clean.’ Immediately the leprosy left him. And he ordered him to tell no one. ‘Go’, he said, ‘and show yourself to the priest, and, as Moses commanded, make an offering for your cleansing, for a testimony to them.’ But now more than ever the word about Jesus spread abroad; many crowds would gather to hear him and to be cured of their diseases. But he would withdraw to deserted places and pray. One day, while he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting nearby (they had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem); and the power of the Lord was with him to heal. Just then some men came, carrying a paralyzed man on a bed. They were trying to bring him in and lay him before Jesus; but finding no way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the middle of the crowd in front of Jesus. When he saw their faith, he said, ‘Friend, your sins are forgiven you.’ Then the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, ‘Who is this who is speaking blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ When Jesus perceived their questionings, he answered them, ‘Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, “Your sins are forgiven you”, or to say, “Stand up and walk”? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’—he said to the one who was paralyzed— ‘I say to you, stand up and take your bed and go to your home.’ Immediately he stood up before them, took what he had been lying on, and went to his home, glorifying God. Amazement seized all of them, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, ‘We have seen strange things today.’ Luke 5:12-26

There are times when we can do what needs to be done. There are also times when we cannot do anything on our own and need the help and ingenuity of others. Whether we lack health, or strength, or funds or knowledge, we have to rely on the kindness and generosity of others. We find ourselves all in hard times, where everything is off balance and no one seems to know what to do. And these are the times when our faith encourages us to do whatever it takes. We may need to speak up even if our voice is shaking, we might need to stand firm when everyone is caving, and we may need to break open a roof. Jesus saw the action of faith and love in one man's friends and immediately healed him. Let us be those friends in this time.

Wondrous Creator, who scattered the stars

so that we might have direction in the dark

and who made the oceans always changing

so we might see your constancy in every tide.

The poor and the immigrants are suffering

we want to turn away and dismiss their fears

yet we too are scared of the times ahead

and wonder how we all will survive here.

Lord, help us to have faith like roof breakers

willing to carry others and not be suppressed

love which is willing to speak up and act

for the healing and restoration of all creation. Amen.