Now that spring is upon us we have already noticed increased road construction. One thing about road construction: it always includes roadblocks that make it difficult to travel where and when we desire. The same can be said about our spiritual travels during Great Lent. Great Lent is a time when the Church has called us to a journey of increased prayer, increased fasting and increased works of charity, and the world, under the influence of the devil, continues to place road blocks in our path. Such was the case with this Sunday's Gospel.
Saint Mark tells us of a group of friends carrying a paralytic. When they arrived to see Jesus, a huge crowd had gathered, “so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door.” (Mark 2.2) These friends were hoping for a miracle from Christ but couldn’t even get close enough to see Him from a distance. They could have just given up and returned home, but their friend would still be paralyzed, so “they uncovered the roof where He [Jesus] was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.” (Mark 2.4)
These few friends didn’t allow the roadblock to keep them from approaching Christ. They took action and found a way; some would even say they ‘made’ a way, to get through to Jesus Christ for the sake of their friend. “When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven you.’” (Mark 2.5)
There will always be roadblocks on our journey to God. But if we really want to be with Him, we won’t turn back. We will find a way to be with Him even it means climbing the roof. After all, isn’t heaven worth it?
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