Bring Your Friends. Mark 2 v 1-12. Healing Service

Christ was back in Galilee, his home district, back in the house of a friend. His friends were all keen to see him but so too were many others and the house was crowded out with friends and strangers. The crowd was so great that they had overflowed into the street. Some no doubt were there hoping to be healed, for word of his healing miracles, was spreading throughout Galilee. Others probably just curious wondering who he was, if all they had heard was true, and also there were the religious teachers waiting to pick an argument.

Christ wanted to use the gathering as an opportunity to preach, to proclaim his message.

In the midst of all this four friends came with a paralysed friend lying on a mat. The crowds were so great that no one was really aware of their arrival, least of all Jesus. As they stood at the back of the crowd they didn’t give up, didn’t think it all looked too difficult, impossible. They were determined not to go back home until their mission was achieved. For they knew that if only Jesus could see their friend he would be cured.

They saw the outside steps leading to the flat roof and there was their opportunity. On to the roof they went still carrying their friend. For they realised that if they could make a hole in the roof above where Jesus was standing they could achieve their aim. So, probably, with their bare hands they started moving the stones, wood, whatever else the roof was made of. There faith was obviously so great that they gave no thought as to what might happen. What would Jesus think, what would the crowd think. Probably even more important what did their friend think, he probably was wishing he stayed at home, never embarked on this mad idea. But nothing was going to stop them, their friend was ill and he needed Jesus’ help. There was nothing wishy washy about their faith, theirs was a faith which could stand the test.

And isn’t that what faith is all about, its not just for when things are going well, its for the bad days, the difficult days, and it’s not just for ourselves, its for others. For our neighbours who we are called upon to love.

And their love for their friend was rewarded. Jesus didn’t rebuke them but called the man ‘son’ acknowledging that all true believers are his sons, his children,then speaking his healing words, ‘your sins are forgiven’. What were his sins, perhaps it was the sin of lack of faith, because it was the faith of his friends which healed him.

Tragically there are still people who feel that illness is the wrath of God. That they are suffering because they have annoyed God. We only have to stop for a minute and think – and realise that cannot be true. How else do murderers for example, lead long healthy lives whilst someone who has given their life to helping others is struck down by some dreadful illness. However what can be true is that a feeling of fear or guilt can made us feel ill, can make us sure we have a physical illness, which could be why Jesus said your sins are forgiven. Releasing the sick man from all that was harming him.

This is where we can learn from this reading. Whether our illness is physical or a feeling that life is too hard too complicated, this is when we need to have someone we trust, who we can talk to, who can reassure us. Then either on our own or with them we need to give ourselves space, turn to prayer, and invite God into our lives.

And likewise if we think a friend is in that situation we can become the listening ear, giving them space and time.

Praying for them, coming up for the laying on of hands on their behalf; putting their names on the Lady Chapel prayer list. We are not asked to physically make a hole in a roof to lower a friend down, but we are asked to lay them and their illness before God and pray that the Healing Grace of the Risen Lord will meet them at their point of need and heal them, not necessarily cure them, but enable them to lead their lives as fully as possible, safe in the knowledge of God’s love for them.