Break down the barriers to Jesus!

 

When my children were babies, I had a job that was pretty straightforward as far as a schedule goes.  I could count on being home every night and waking up in my own bed every morning.  I could count on being able to comply with the occasional request from the school or church for help.  I could attend most of the kids' recitals, activities, and ceremonies.  I never had the occasion to miss their presence for any extended length of time.

Even for the first few years with U-Haul, I could pretty much count on the same things. Then I took the promotion that kept me in hotel rooms, on the road, and away from my family for days or weeks at a time.

After a while, it was really rough for me, because I sorely missed Marilyn.  I missed Alicia and Lily, as well, because they were also living with us.  I couldn’t wait to see their smiles and their eyes sparkle at me the way they do, and I couldn't see them from 300 miles away! 

Often, when I walked through the door after a hard week’s work, Marilyn would say, "Look, Lily! Oompah's home!"  The baby couldn't crawl over to me fast enough, and she always had the biggest grins!  She would start jabbering away like she was telling me everything she did the week I was gone and didn't want to leave any details out.  And giggled and giggled and giggled.  My heart would just melt.  I would be so elated it was hard to concentrate on anything or anyone else!  It was a time to forget about work, if just for a day.  It was just the ‘recharge’ I needed to continue on to the next week’s challenges.

I wonder if Jesus ever got to walk back into His house and just disappear and "regroup" for a while.  Luke’s Gospel tells us it wasn’t the case at Capernaum (Mark 2:1-12).  We know of Jesus’ excruciating journey to the Cross, but what must it have been like to carry the burden of souls, their wishes and shattered dreams, every day of His life, every moment?  How in the world did He bear the weight of all those people seeking relief so desperately–the poor, the lonely, the lame, the sick, and the outcast?

"Child, your sins are forgiven." (Mark 2:5).  There’s such heart-rending compassion, gentleness of spirit, and presence in those five simple words.  Jesus didn’t take a nap when He got home, "take five," or promise to be in touch later.  Jesus was there, as He always is for each of us, ready to forgive and heal.  Moved by the faith of the crowd and despite the criticisms of the naysayers, Jesus proved that the lame can indeed get up and be freed from what cripples them.  And, by breaking through our own walls that keep us from Christ, so can we.

I truly hope that Jesus laid down His sweet head to rest more than just when He was a baby in the manger.  But I suspect that His short life on earth was lived far less restfully, although certainly He lived it with open eyes, open hands, and a truly open heart.

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. (Mark 2:4)

My deeper reflection on this parable begs several questions: What creative means are we called to use to bring healing given today’s hurting world, the polarization, the raw hate, the hurtful ‘reaction’ that surrounds us.  Given the digging in of heels and unwillingness to hear the other.  Given the tensions that consistently envelop us. 

How are we called to bring people to Jesus, how creative do we need to be to bring people to the feet of Jesus?  How can we invite ourselves and others to believe in and dare to risk the possibility of peace – inner peace, outer peace, the peace the world can’t give?  The peace we find in God, in Jesus.  What is it that we – individually and collectively – are called to do to set another world view in motion?  How can we re-introduce the worldview that Jesus shared, the Kingdom of God that begins now?  How can we “open the roof” to let in the healing balm of Jesus’ presence among us?

Waiting for the other – for someone else to breakthrough and empower dialogue and creative solutions has proven futile.  This parable reminds us that the time is now, we need to step in, we need our voices and our hearts to be heard.  We need to introduce a new path, a new vision, a new accountability.  How creative are we willing to be?  How do we empower each other to re-discover the voice, and presence of God and join together to build something new – bring about a new creation, a new paradigm?  Jesus is present, He has returned to Capernaum – where are we?