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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.”
-Luke 5:18-20
“All of us, if we live long enough will experience disability.” These were the opening words from the lecturer in Upper Anderson, Montreat a few years ago. I was there for a conference. The speaker had a disabled son and worked with disabled folks. He was a former athlete, tall, and fit for age, but especially for a man in his fifties. He was aware that those words might sound strange coming from someone who looked likely to run marathons into his 90s. But he assured us, a career of working with disabled people had taught him that the broad range of impairments we develop with age or unexpected injury or illness meant we could all experience temporary or permanent disability over a lifetime. And we should live our lives with that awareness and empathy, making our buildings and gatherings accessible for everyone.
How right he was. And haven’t we all been disabled in some way by this pandemic? Our independence has been limited by our choice or imposed on us. Suddenly, our freedoms are dependent on others or by circumstances. We can suddenly identify with the paralytic man in new ways. And that’s when we should ask ourselves some hard questions. In Jesus’ day, every town, aside from Jerusalem, was a small town. Every town he visited was full of people who knew one another intimately. We can bet the paralytic man knew and was known by the owner of the house, everyone in it, and the ones making a hole in the roof.
We know or should know, the members of our small church communities who are limited in access to our spaces and worship by disability or circumstance. This leads us to ask ourselves... are we the friends in the crowded house or the friends making a hole in the roof?
According to the story, his friends didn’t go to the house and then notice he was missing. They brought him. When the house wasn’t accessible, they made a way. They determined his need to participate was greater than theirs, a priority. They probably missed the intro! They probably missed out on the best seats. The story didn’t mention them repelling in after him to get a good seat too. Their priority was inclusion for their friend. Their own participation didn’t matter if he wasn’t included too. So how do we make worship accessible to those who need it most? Is it live streaming? Is it drive-in and outdoor options? Is it ramps, special seating, distance, appointments, assistance, large print bibles, Bluetooth hearing assistance, special parking, personal helpers, buddies, or something we haven’t learned to offer yet? Let’s ask. Let’s find out. Let’s make our friends and their participation our priority. That way, when Jesus is there among us, he will look at our included loved ones and smile at the faith of their friends.
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